


[1] New Message

by Mary_istrying



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Awkward Crush, First Love, M/M, lots of texting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:00:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 31,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27437719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mary_istrying/pseuds/Mary_istrying
Summary: Desperate times call for desperate measures.After a strange dream, Kageyama appeals to his friends for explanations that would help refute or confirm his theory; did he have a crush?Because even the King of the Court could admit his ineptitude in romantic matters, and ask for help.
Relationships: Kageyama Tobio/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 50
Kudos: 228





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first fanfic in a loooooong time so I apologize if any of this is garbage HAHAHAHHA  
> Anyways, this ship has taken over my soul and I just needed to write something about them  
> Maybe the development of their relationship will be a little bit slow on this? But the way there will be full of awkward, cute, little nice moments in between, teenage hormones everywhere  
> I must add that English is not my first language at all so I deeply apologize for any mistake. I did try to fix everything as carefully as I could but anyway, I just hope is readable hahaha  
> Enjoy! <3

Honestly, he was getting tired of just watching the same repetitive movements of his fingers, swirling around an annoying circle he couldn't escape. Kageyama Tobio had never been the most patient person out there, except for things that mattered to him, except for what he considered irrefutably worthy of this time: and this just wasn't. There was no way it was. At that very moment, there were a million more valuable ways in which he could engage his energy. In the first place, he could get up and go for a run, like every morning. Or he could cook some breakfast high on proteins that would help him get ready to burn energy with dumbass Hinata a couple of hours later. He could get a shower or tidy up his socks drawer like he promised his mom he would do three times that week. He could just get out of bed and attack any of the endless possibilities that would push him through the day he had ahead.  
  
…then, why couldn't he stop looking at his phone screen?  
  
Long fingers would press the same button over and over again, moving through the phone contacts list until reaching the very same name. Then open a new conversation, and...regretting everything before even typing, closing the window immediately. Like a _coward_.  
  
Barely awake, wrapped around a warm veil made of both vigil and sleep. With burning eyes and messy black hair over a damp forehead, Kageyama decided to face his fears straight ahead. After all, that was a strategy that worked in the court. Why wouldn't it work here?  
  
[sent: 07:30 a.m] Oikawa-san, I need your help with an unexpected situation  
  
[sent: 07:30 a.m] Please.  
  
He sent it without even thinking. And in doing so, throwing to the window all fear of a possibly hideous reply. He left the phone alone to focus his energy on something more productive, like getting ready for school.  
However, he barely had time to push the sheets off his body before the familiar tune of a new message replaced the reigning silence in the room.  
Dark eyebrows raised up in surprise. He definitely didn't think a reply would come by this quickly. Actually, the most realistic outcome in his mind was for Oiwaka to just ignore him, to read the message, and curse him with his silence. And deny the seek of wisdom from his elders. At least it sounded like something he would say.

[received: 07:32 a.m] EW NO! WHY THE HELL WOULD I HELP YOU? STUPID TOBIO! BEG ME MORE IF YOU WANT ME TO LISTEN!  
  
After that, there was a row of symbols which he assumed to be emojis. Kageyama's flip phone, ancient in those modern times, would translate them into a line of empty white rectangles. With an exasperated snort, he considered satisfied. That was enough humiliation for so early in the morning. There he was, about to close his mobile and start the day when a new and unexpected _ding_ caught his attention. Soon after, a new message manifested in the same chat window.  
  
[received: 7:35 a.m] Kageyama, it's Iwaizumi  
  
[sent: 7:35 a.m] Iwaizumi-san?  
  
[recieved: 7:36 a.m] Yeah. I knew something was wrong as soon as Oikawa started laughing like a mad man while we opened the gym. So I took the phone away from him   
  
[recieved: 7:36 a.m] So, did you need help? Is it about volleyball?  
  
[sent: 7:37 a.m] no.  
  
Without realizing, he inhaled deeply through his nose, a reflex action he was used to doing to help to concentrate. The situation already escalated too far from what the thought it would. After reaching an upperclassman in a moment of somnolent impulsivity, he was being listened to by someone far more sympathetic than his original receiver. And now there was nothing more to do than facing the problem straight ahead: the only way he knew how to do everything.  
  
[sent: 7:40 a.m] I had a strange dream  
  
[sent: 7:41 a.m] I was with someone. We walked downtown to my favorite sport's store and bought a pair of Mizuno supporters.  
  
[sent: 7:43 a.m] Then we walked and talked. And it felt nice  
  
This time, Iwaizumi's reply took a little longer.

[received: 7:50 a.m] That sounds like a perfectly normal dream, Kageyama-kun.

[sent: 7:50 a.m] No, you don't get it. I never dream about people I know

[received: 7:51 a.m] Are you sure? Not even once?

[sent: 7:51 a.m] Once. With Shiho Yoshimura. I don't actually know her, though.

[received: 7:51 a.m] And what do you dream about, normally?

[sent: 7:52 a.m] I don't know. The last movie I saw before going to bed. Old games I watched a thousand times. Sometimes I dream about failing tests

[sent: 7:52 a.m] I barely remember what I dreamt of once I woke up. That's the weirdest part. I don't only remember it, but it left this...nice sensation?

[received: 7:53 a.m] Then you know this person that was in the dream with you, right? Do you meet them often?  
  
The setter's shoulders felt suddenly tense and heavy. However, he still replied with usual honesty.

[sent: 7:55 a.m] Yeah. We have spent more time together recently.

[received: 7:55 a.m] So...maybe you have a crush?  
  
He couldn't deny that very same thought crossed his mind when he tried to reach Oikawa-san. He, who during his course through Kitagawa Daiichi and Aoba Johsai had built a casanova reputation. Which was easily proved by the growing list of young women who would chase him at any chance. With a long history of relationships on his record, Kageyama thought someone, as experienced as him, was the ideal person. The ideal person to determine if his unusual dream was proof of him actually having a crush on someone.

Tobio used to imitate or look up to the most skilled people in their field. This was no exception.

[sent: 7:57 a.m] I don't know. I was hoping Oikawa-san could recognize it.

[received: 7:57 a.m] You give that idiot too much credit. You do know that, right?

[received: 7:58 a.m] Listen, Kageyama. I don't have enough context about your situation to know if you have a crush or not

[received: 7:58 a.m] To me, it sounds like just a normal dream. My advice would be, not give it a bigger meaning than it has

[received: 7:59 a.m] what you actually should do, though, is talk about this with your friends. They will be able to read the situation better than me  
  
 _Friends_. His lips pursed tightly with just thinking about it, feeling frustrated and annoyed. Only imagining what Hinata would have to say about his dilemma was already giving him a growing headache. Although Iwaizumi-san, someone older, more reasonable, and calm, thought this was the best option. With a resigned growl, he pondered about the possibility of talking to the orange spaz only if completely necessary. And with that, he disposed to get an end to the improvised conversation.

[sent: 08:02 a.m] thank you, Izaizumi-san.

With that, the matter in hand was pretty much dealt with. He could finally get up and dedicate the last free hour before school to get ready and...  
  
 _Ding.  
  
_ [received: 08:05 a.m] Tobio-chaaaan ~ you better not have a crush on your manager with the glasses. If she falls for you, I will personally hunt you down and kill you, my dear kouhai  
  
Once again, the message ended with a nameless empty rectangle, depicting some indecipherable emoji. Kageyama just read it carefully, frowned, and, finally, threw the phone with mighty strength towards his pillow. _Enough for today._

After a quick shower, a change of clothes, and a banana (devoured in two bites, to not waste time having breakfast), he took a seat at the step of the house's entrance. He put the sneakers on with an absent mind, barely replying to his mother's greeting and warning that he would be late for class if he went out. Going for a run was easy, as natural as breathing, and even necessary to clear his swirled thoughts. The route never changed, losing himself in the trustfulness of familiar streets. Going by buildings he had seen a million times, the fleeting murmur of conversations passing by was almost cooing, relaxing as he went ahead through the sidewalk.

Faster and faster by the minute, his heavy breathing replacing any other sound. Gradually, without noticing, wrapped around the safety of this familiar path and the growing warmth in his body, his mind dissociated completely until it found a comfortable spot in a memory, which happened weeks ago.

"Who needs you anyway?! Stupid! Bakashima!" Hinata's voice was so loud in the school hallways that it wouldn't surprise him if the windows started to shake right there and then.

For a second, the thought of giving him a punch on the side to lower his voice crossed the setter's mind, before noticing the boy was already moving forward in the opposite direction he was a second ago.

"I'll go with Yachi-san!" the tiny middle blocker decided suddenly, before starting to run away. Kageyama couldn't stop the way his eyebrows raised at the sight; despite having played a fair amount of matches beside the human tornado that was his teammate, there were still times when his speed (to move from idea to idea, from plan to plan, from place to place) still took him by surprise.

That very same situation was so usual in his school life that it was almost boring: Hinata and Kageyama found themselves asking Tsukishima for help in their studies. With Spring Tournament around the corner, they didn't need to relive the fright they went through during the Interhigh, where his future on the court hanged from an extremely fragile thread; their academic performance.

Every two or three days, the same thing happened; that tall jerk had decided he wouldn't tutor them anymore. Going on about how much of a waste of his time and energy that was. And Hinata has lost his temper, as usual.

Instinctively, his upper body turned in his friend's direction to follow him. After all, his idea wasn't bad. Hitoka-san was a great option ( _the best_ _option_ , actually) since she was not only smart and skillful in every school subject. But she was also kind enough to explain the same concept a dozen times, with a bunch of different perspectives and tools. She wasn't the problem at all, but...  
  
 _Hinata.  
  
_ He deeply frowned to even consider what could happen if he followed him. It would be hours trying to focus while that talking tangerine would parade around the room, incapable of staying still. He would interrupt every reading with dumb questions and changing the subject to volleyball strategies (that last part didn't bother him that much but, hey, Hitoka-san thought they should make an effort to stay on topic). Even being aware that Kageyama wasn't particularly fast to wrap his head around complicated concepts, he was convinced that having Hinata around would slow down the process with his overwhelming personality.  
  
Which was why he picked the second-best choice.

"Yamaguchi" he called out loud, managing to make the boy turn around abruptly. With nervousness in his body language, he struck a sidelong look to the corner where the freakishly tall figure of Tsukishima had vanished a couple of seconds ago.  
  
"Um...Yes, Kageyama?" Yamaguchi was smart. He must be, being in a college-preparatory class. And even when they haven't exchanged many interactions since joining the Karasuno's team, it was evident he was going to be a better tutor than the obnoxious blonde.  
  
"Please, teach me!" He and Hinata had done that very same petition a million times; to Takeda sensei, to coach Ukai, Suga-san, Yachi-San, Bakashima...Kageyama already got the hang of it. He bent forward exaggeratedly in a formal bow, waiting expectantly for his teammate's answer.  
  
"I...um..." he started, bringing his right hand to the back of his neck, messing with his hair. It was clear that he wasn't expecting such favor and he was looking for a lifeline to come clean of the situation "It's just, you see, Tsukki just said..."  
  
"I know. I'm not asking him." he declared, straightening up again. His words came out slightly more cutting than he intended to. Tobio was busy observing him, analyzing him. It wasn't too different from paying attention on the court, to the spiker's movements, to the blocker's movements, in order to get a perfect setting. He must pay attention to get the best result. Right here was the same thing.

He had to pay attention to the way Yamaguchi dodged his eyes as his life depended on it. To how, once in a while, he would turn back just to check that his friend hasn't returned yet to save him from this conversation. How his words made it clear that he saw himself as a package deal with Tsukishima, and reminding him of his individuality had knocked him out of place. Paying attention to him, it was clear that he had to offer him _something_ "I'll help you with your serves."

His conviction seemed to shake the pinch server once again, blinking a couple of times before finally offering a friendly smile.

"Thank you, Kageyama. But I already have someone to practice w..."

"I'll help you receive!" he insisted, determined to get a positive answer "And spike. My settings are good, you can improve a lot with them." the confidence in his tone was tangible. He had to offer something both attractive and realistic in exchange for his tutorships.

With brown eyes open wide with surprise, Yamaguchi seemed to finally run out of excuses. His lips parted a few times, getting out a thin amount of air, as he tried to start a sentence, just to stop seconds after. After a moment that felt tortuously slow (more than any study session with Hinata), his teammate smiled at him, with a quick nod of his head.

"Sure. Why not? We can give it a try."

And that was how he started to spend a lot more time than expected with Yamaguchi. They studied together at lunchtime, with a carton of milk and a carefully prepared bentō waiting for them at the side of a pile of notebooks and crumpled, scribbled paper. And they practiced volleyball anytime they could; early in the morning when the third years opened the gym, in short pauses in between classes, when the basketball team wasn't occupying it, or late at night when the official practice with the team of crows was already over. Those days he reached home pretty early but he was used to that routine thanks to Hinata's insatiable hunger for training.

To maintain his word about benefiting from his settings and helping him grow, Kageyama must observe him. Must analyze him to detect his weakness; for example, he spreads his legs too much, and that makes it difficult to push himself forward to reach the ball. He spikes too far from the net. He touches his hair or neck when he is nervous. He spreads his thumbs while receiving and that hurts his fingers (only when he is tired, though). He screams when he scores to release tension. He jokes around to lift the mood when Kageyama hasn't spoken for a while. He smiles with his mouth and with his eyes...  
  
 _Wait. What?  
  
_ How come his strategic list of volleyball's weaknesses has become a...list of details about Yamaguchi?  
  
His steps stopped suddenly, gasping for the air he didn't know he needed. He glanced at the street he ended up with a deep frown and suspicious eyes. He was near a green field with kids playing around thunderously and their moms sitting on the grass. Kageyama didn't live near any park.

He was so distracted while running that he ended up completely out of his usual path that was so familiar. He had never realized such small and subtle details about the pinch server if it wasn't for that dream. That stupid dream that made him feel weird. And nice, at the same time.

...maybe he should talk with Hinata sooner than expected.

"Damn it..." he muttered through his teeth before resuming the run back to his home. He was going to be late for school without a doubt.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This chapter ended up being longer than the first. I hope that doesn't make it more difficult to read or whatever  
> Anyways, next chapter will have some actual interaction between Yamaguchi and Kageyama (FINALLY, I know)  
> I hope you enjoy this! <3

The movements of his fingers were practically automatic. The muscle memory he developed after years of training could show up and shine in the middle of great moments, such as decisive matches. Where the sweat, the tension in your body, and the invasive heat due to the effort, were a vital part of leading your team to victory. However, his trained muscles could also work exceptionally in simple places, small places. Where there was no adrenaline or score to win. Like that very same moment: lying in bed, with a ball rising in the air only to quickly fall back into his hands.

As natural as breathing, he didn't need to think about it. Arms extended above his head. Hands opened but relaxed, waiting for the ball to reach a couple inches from his palm, where it was irredeemably going to bounce. The last step was to push it forward, taking advantage of said bounce, and maximizing control. Absorbing and release. Over and over again.

His extremities moved with such precision, while his mind wandered somewhere else. With his head buried deep in a pillow, his glance was longingly looking for his phone, charging at the other side of the room. The night sky splashed with stars reflected through the window. It had been a long day, and he was tired. Tired and even more confused than he was in the morning. After a long scolding for his delay to first-class, his mind started to melt away almost immediately after taking his seat. There were some days where lunch-time seemed to never arrive as if some divine entity wanted to mess with him by manipulating the clock's hands.

But, eventually, the time came, after a seemingly endless discussion about seventeen syllable poems. And rejecting Hinata's invitation to get lunch together while sprinting through the hallways to reach Yamaguchi's classroom has never felt more satisfactory. Having run so much made him feel pretty gross, stick, but he still did his very best to focus while hearing the brunette's explanation. The pinch server was sliding his index finger through a paper where there were written complex formulas with both numbers _and letters_ while asking, every once in a while, if Kageyama was following or not.

Too engrossed in the explanation to even reply, Kageyama hid the memory of the dream and the dilemma of that morning into the deepest corner of his mind. He couldn't afford to distract himself and waste Yamaguchi's time. _Not his_. Then they practiced volleyball while the sun started to fall, hiding in between crimson-colored clouds until it was lost behind the horizon. Once again, he couldn't let his newfound infatuation stopped him from being productive; he made his best effort to concentrate, all the while his mental list of weak points to work on (and of Yamaguchi's details in general) grew more and more by the second. Full disclosure, he wasn't a good talker that day (not like he was ever good at that, to begin with) but his excessive efforts to be useful definitely did eclipse any glimpse of social ability he could have.

The day had finalized, they parted ways with some awkwardness at the bus stop that Kageyama was supposed to take. And once he came back to reality, back in his room, with the ball's texture under his fingertips, and the fuzzy memory of that unruly morning, he wondered what it would be like to receive a message from Yamaguchi. Not from Oikawa, Iwaizumi, or Hinata. A message that wasn't about homework or practice. What would he say? Would someone like Yamaguchi break the ice of the first message? Would he have his phone in his hand right now...?

He didn't know how that happened. He only knew that one second ago he was watching his phone charging, with big hopeful eyes and, one second later, the ball that he was expertly handling fell hard into his face.

He complained with a low growl before setting it back at the feet of the bed, resignedly, and getting up lazily. He dragged his feet towards that stupid phone that had taken over a big part of his life in just a couple of hours. _Pathetic._ Then came back to his bed, taking a seat over the mattress with his face slightly sore by the ghost of the previous accident.

Motivated by a strange mixture of determination and being fed up, he navigated through his contacts list, until finding Hinata's name, then pressing the button aggressively to receive a new chat window.

[sent: 22:17 p.m] Hey. I need a favor.

[received: 22:18 p.m] Hey, Yamayama-kun! You never text me!!!!! 😄😄😄😄😄😄

Hm. He could actually see the emojis Hinata sent. Maybe because both of them had the same outdated model.

[received: 22:19 p.m] Sure, my dude. I knew someday you would need my wisdom. Ask away!!!

[sent: 22:20 p.m] You know what? Nevermind.

[received: 22:20 p.m] Oh, come on, Kageyama!!! It was just a joke!! Stop being an idiot and tell me already

He exhaled through his nose heavily. Here we go again.

[sent: 22: 22 p.m] I had a dream this morning. I was with someone. We walked downtown to my favorite shop and bought supporters

[received: 22:22 p.m] Wait. Mizuno supporters?

[sent: 22:23 p.m] Yes.

[received: 22:23 p.m] Those are your favorite!!! You never shut up about their quality. And you even gave Tanaka-senpai a pair for Christmas

[received: 22:23 p.m] Hm. Then, I guess it was a pretty important dream, huh? Tell me more!

[sent: 22:25 p.m] There's not much more to say, really. Then we went out of the shop and walked, talked.

[received: 22:25 p.m] What did you talk about?

[sent: 22:26 p.m] How am I supposed to know, dumbass? I just remember that I felt...nice.

[received: 22:26 p.m] Hmm...I see.

This guy was impossible. Everything he did was repeating what Kageyama already had said and using too many exclamation points. Why would someone like Iwaizumi-san think this was a good idea? Hinata just didn't think. He was merely made out of instincts. He couldn't understand any deeper meaning of anything that Kageyama had to say. And also...

[received: 22:30 p.m] Alright, I know what's going on here.

Okay, that was definitely unexpected. The setter couldn't help to raise an eyebrow with skepticism, at seeing such a determined message from someone like him. However, he remained quiet, waiting for the other to finish the idea.

[received: 22:32 p.m] You dreamt about going to your favorite shop. To buy your favorite physical care product. With someone else. And the whole atmosphere gave you a nice sensation.

[sent: 22:32 p.m] Get to the point already, you dumbass.

[recibido: 22:33 p.m] Don't you get it, Bakageyama?! You dreamt about your perfect date!!!!

A...date. With... _Yamaguchi?_ Suddenly, an invasive heat took over his face, so much so he thought about taking off his sweatshirt to be able to breathe. Or even better, to go running around the block a couple of times. Or race to Hinata's house and commit murder for giving him such a...conflicting mental image. It was ridiculous. Annoying. And even childish how a simple supposition could tear as many contradicting feelings from deep inside himself. He was feeling hopeful, confused, euphoric, and frustrated, all at once. With some more stimulation, his head could blow up right there and then.

[received: 22: 40 p.m] Hey, Kageyama, you there?

[sent: 22: 41 p.m] Yeah.

[received: 22:41 p.m] Hey, this is a good thing! You have a crush on someone!!! It's great! I was starting to think that you were some kind of robot, programmed to play volleyball and frown all the time 

[received: 22: 42 p.m] Tell me, tell me! Who did you dream of?

[sent: 22:43 p.m] Huh? I'm not telling you.

[received: 22:43 p.m] Hey!!! WHY NOT?? BAKAGEYAMA!!! I help you figure out your stupid FEELINGS, and this is what I get???

[sent: 22:43 p.m] It's pointless anyway, you dumbass. I'm not doing anything about it.

[received: 22: 33 p.m] Huh? Why not?

[sent: 22:45 p.m] I don't even know what is happening to me. It's just a stupid dream.

[sent: 22:45 p.m] And even if I were sure, they wouldn't like me.

He probably liked Yachi-san or something. Someone kind, patient, and smart, like he was. Or maybe Tsukishima, someone who knows him since forever ago. Someone who had lived so many moments by his side that someone so emotionally constipated like Kageyama couldn't even begin to imagine. There were endless options out there for Yamaguchi. And surely he wouldn't dream about his perfect date alongside an oppressive king. It was just not possible.

[received: 22: 47 p.m] Hey, don't say that!! You have a horrible personality, true. But you can be awesome when you want to be! You could impress this person of your dream if you tried hard enough!

[sent: 22:47 p.m] ...do you really think I could impress Yamaguchi?

_Oh, shit._

[received: 22:48 p.m] Wait.

_Oh. Shit._

[received: 22:48 p.m] WAIT WAIT WAIT!! DO YOU LIKE YAMAGUCHI?

**_S H I T!_ **

[sent: 22:49 p.m] THAT'S THE WHOLE FUCKING POINT, YOU DUMBASS! I DON'T KNOW!

He didn't often use all caps or lose his temper over some stupid text message. But this situation had been getting bigger and bigger since the day started. It was driving him crazy and distracting him to a ridiculous degree. There was no way that he had a crush on a teammate which he barely crossed a word during his first year at Karasuno, right? That freaking dream had to mean something else, right?

[received: 22: 51 p.m] Hey. Calm down, Kageyama. Yamaguchi is a great guy! I'm happy for you! It just took me by surprise a little, that's all

His first impulse to sprint to Hinata's house and murder him only grew larger with every single new message.

[received: 22:52 p.m] Listen...truth be told, I don't have as much experience in this kind of romance stuff as you may think. But I know someone who does! Just give me a second!

It was too much. His brain was fried to the core with contradicting emotions, sweaty palms, annoying heat on his face, and a growing uncomfortable sensation. It was barely tolerable at this point, he was about to discharge some aggression with a rude comment like '

 _I never thought you had any experience. No one did_ ' before, finally, reading the rest of the message. Was Hinata going to drag even more people into that circus? Why? Wasn't he humiliated enough talking about this very embarrassing and private stuff? Who else had to find out about this?

_[Hinata Shōyō added Nishinoya Yū]_

_[Hinata Shōyō added Tanaka Ryūnosuke]_

Oh, no. Anything but this.

[Nishinoya: 23:01 p.m] Hey! Kageyama! Shōyō!! What are you two knuckleheads doing? It's a school night!!!

[Tanaka: 23:01 p.m] Are you planning a party or something? We can hide it from Daichi-san. You can trust your senpais

[Nishinoya: 23:02 p.m] But no alcohol!!! You two are basically babies with a volleyball uniform

[Tanaka: 23:02 p.m] Good thinking, Yū!!! 

[Nishinoya: 23: 03 p.m] Thanks, Ryū!!!!!

So this is what hell looked like. Conveniently reduced inside a phone screen. He couldn't come up with that.

[Hinata: 23:05 p.m] Tanaka-senpai! Nishinoya-senpai! We won't take long. Kageyama needs help to figure out if he has a crush or not

[Tanaka: 23:06 p.m] Eh??? Kageyama?? Liking someone besides a volleyball ball???

[Nishinoya: 23:06 p.m] I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes! Tell me, Shōyō, who is the unlucky lady?

[Hinata: 23:10 p.m] I don't know. He won't tell me. But that's not the important part now!!!

Reading that torrent of frantic messages he realized that, maybe, he didn't give Hinata enough credit sometimes.

Even if it would be disrespectful to stop replying, even when it was him who had asked for help in the first place, the situation had escalated too far. Too far for his poor head, too heavy on a large amount of new information, which made nothing but making his thoughts foggier. Normally, his life was simple. He knew what he wanted, and when he wanted it. Knew the exact steps to follow to become more and more skilled and reaching his goals without major issues. 

But...this? It was as if someone had thrown him in the entrance of a maze, in the middle of a particularly dark night, without a map or a flashlight. And Hinata and the second years would appear from time to time, dressed like jokais or some shit like that, forcing him to run scared and choose a random path to escape. Only to crash into a dead alley over and over. He wouldn't find the end of the maze while reading how his upperclassmen made fun of him.

The cellphone was closed with a firm _click_ before moving on to his normal night routine; taking a shower, brushing his teeth, closing the curtains, and coming back to his bed, taking off the damp towel he had over his shoulders.

Wrapped in the security of his sheets, relaxed by the comfortable silence and darkness reigning the room, he found himself tempted to check how that ridiculous conversation ended up. Just one more time. One last time to prove that they really hadn't shared any useful advice.

A big 32 appeared imposingly over the group chat where he had been unwillingly dragged into. It seems like they talked a lot.

Frowning deeply, concentrating, he read quickly everything he lost. Both Nishinoya and Tanaka assured to have an infallible method to recognize the pureness of a crush. Apparently, they both used it in the past to know if their attraction for Kyoko-san was merely physical or if it was, quoting, ' _a meant-to-be metaphysical union_ '. 

A flawless test prepared by one of Noya's older sisters, who seemed to be into psychology. Huh, alright then.

' _There are four obligatory clues to determine if your crush is both true and pure!'_ the libero started, his eloquent words, framed by a wise tone, were playing with Hinata's ingenuity ' _First, you start to stare at this person more than often. Maybe you didn't even realize how long you were glancing at the back of their neck in class until someone else mentions it.'_ Okay, first and foremost, he didn't _stare_ at Yamaguchi, that was creepy. He observed. A big difference. He analyzed his movements to help him improve, thank you very much.

 _'THEN'_ Tanaka continued, using all caps to emphasize the importance 'Y _ou find yourself noticing new details, like the sounds they usually make or the way they smell.'_ Immediately after that, the conversation took a turn about the tangent of how Kiyoko-san's hair emanated a delightful peach scent. And how both of them spent an entire afternoon sniffing different hair products until finding the one that smelled just like her. Alright, at least he was safe with that one, is not like he paid any attention to the way Yamaguchi sme...

_Deodorant._

...what just happened? It was like his brain automatically supplied information he didn't even know he had. Giving it some thought, it was true, Yamaguchi did use deodorant before or after practice, which makes sense.

If he paid enough attention, he could remember a hint of a musky scent, like lavender or wood. Maybe both. He decided that the best thing he could do was stop thinking about it and move on with the reading.

 _'The third step is where Kageyama is right now. You see, after you took in all those subtle details, consciously or not, your brain takes it a step forward, and you start dreaming about this person'_ Nishinoya-senpai surely could sound like an expert when he wanted to, huh? But did that mean that he was already three steps in? Suddenly, it felt like he was about to drown, and the water was already reaching his neck. How could he be so deeply lost for someone and having never even realized it until now?

 _'What is the last clue, Tanaka-senpai?!'_ Hinata hurried them, as anxious to know as Tobio was. There, with soft bed sheets covering his face to his nose and the faint glow of the phone illuminating his stern blue eyes, which were devouring the information on the screen greedily.

_'It's the ultimate test! The last clue is to imagine this person dating someone else. If you feel nothing, then I guess it could be a platonic crush or something like that'_

This was dumb. Simply childish and dumb. However, it was not like he had any choice. They pushed him to the center of the maze and urged him to take the last curve for the exit. They have thrown him in cloudy waters that covered him up to his neck without a lifeline. He didn't have any choice but to compromise if he wanted to keep his mental stability intact. Slowly, he inhaled through his nose, his usual ritual to clear his mind. He closed his eyes and started to visualize, as detailed as he could, Yamaguchi walking hand by hand with Yachi. She smiled warmly while his brown eyes were sparkling, delighted. One of his hands, bigger than hers, cupped her cheek while he bent down to kiss her... 

He opened his eyes, feeling some sort of dead weight inside his stomach. It was like swallowing a bunch of rocks that were now weighing him down. And he finally understood. Finally his reluctant and evasive attitude was disabled after facing the truth. All of a sudden, clarity covered the night sky, allowing him to see the end of the maze. All of a sudden he remembered that he could swim, and then the pressure of the water became a gentle caress instead of a threat to drown him. He finally got it.

[sent: 00:30 a.m] I didn't like imagining that.

[Nishinoya: 00:32 a.m] You get it now, little grasshopper?

[sent: 00:32 a.m] I think so.

[Tanaka: 00:33 a.m] What are you gonna do now?

[sent: 00:33 a.m] I don't know.

[Tanaka: 00:34 a.m] Do you feel ready to confess yet?

 _Huh._ He hasn't even considered that option. Blinking lazily, his tired eyes silently begged him to give up his phone to go to sleep. Pleading for a well-deserved rest after such a long, stressful day.

Barely conscious, navigating in between wakefulness and sleep, he typed the last message before surrendering into Morpheus' arms.

[sent: 00:36 a.m] Yeah. I'll confess soon.

A couple of hours before that, in a larger bedroom than Kageyama's, two young men were sharing different places on the same bed. One of them had his back laid against a wall, leaning forward where his textbook laid open. The other one took place at the feet of the bed, long legs crossed with the same textbook opened on the same page over his lap. Distractedly tapping the end of a pencil against the book, a clear demonstration of nervousness and distraction. It didn't take long for him to share what was on his mind.

"I feel like Kageyama hates me."

Nothing. Silence. It wasn't that surprising, though. There were some conversation topics that Tsukishima fled from sometimes. Considering them to not be worthy of his time or mental effort. Talking about Kageyama was, without a doubt, a clear example of those implicit preferences.

But he still looked up, expectant, only to notice that his best friend hasn't even raised his eyes from his book yet. Once feeling the weight of the other's look over him, the blocker granted him the wish to stare at him, with his big golden eyes while making an incredibly fake expression of innocence.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You wanted an answer to that?"

"Tsukki." he preached in a warning tone.

"Hey, you were the one who wanted to lose your time with that idiot twice a day."

"Can't you at least _try_ to be helpful?"

This time was Yamaguchi's turn to not look up from his half-finished homework. He heard the sound of manipulated papers and felt the slight protest of the mattress' springs while his friend changed his position, straightening up to losing to him. And, finally, the imposing pressure of his eyes on him.

"Why do you think he hates you?" he finally conceded, languid and monotone voice.

"I don't know. He just...glares at me. With these intense, angry eyes, you know?" he placed both index fingers at the sides of his eyes and then pointed at his friend's direction, pretending to shoot lasers out of them. All the while making the most wrathful expression he could manage, pretending to be Kageyama. At least he ripped a big laugh out of Tsukki.

"The King glares at everybody, Yamaguchi" he explained later, with the ghost of a smile looming over thin lips.

"I guess..." he started, doubtful, looking back at the book on his lap "...but not really. He doesn't glare at Suga-san. Or Azumane. Or Tanaka or Nishinoya" without realizing, he quickly moistened his dry lips with the tip of his tongue, trying to look for the right words to explain what he felt in a clear way. Sometimes, for someone who tends to overthink and imagining the worst-case scenario at every possible moment, organizing his thoughts was challenging "Lately he doesn't even talk to me. I try to chat during lunch or at our practice and he just...glares at me. With this expression that says that I'm doing something wrong" the usual frown that decorated Kageyama's strong features seemed to only get worse during the time they were alone together "I don't know, maybe I'm too slow of a student for his super high volleyball standards. Or maybe he gets bored when I'm trying to explain something, but... even if I'm doing everything wrong...he should at least talk to me, right?" 

Silence, one more time. But different than before. This was a tense silence, in where he could point at Tsukki's knuckles getting white by the force he was exercising over the corners of his book. With a quick movement of his fingers, he placed his glasses properly over the bridge of his nose and raised his chin up with some degree of haughtiness. Silently demanding for Yamaguchi to look up towards him.

"Hey" he insisted and, this time, the pinch server raised his eyes up to his best friend, easily maintaining his strong glance "You do know you can stop doing this, right?"

"...eh?"

"You have good grades. You have improved a lot with Shimada-san. You literally gain nothing from giving your time to the King" the exasperation in his voice was tangible "I understand you said yes to get on his good side and to get along with him since he is our teammate and whatever. _But_ " he emphasized, looking at him with cold eyes under thick glasses "...you do know you can stop your little training and study sessions if they make you feel uncomfortable, right?"

It took a couple of seconds for Yamaguchi to recover from that speech. After all, he didn't expect much from that conversation. He wanted to blow off steam with his best friend. To hear him talk about how Kageyama was just bad at socializing and maybe, in his own mocking and bitter way, to tell him that it wasn't his fault that his teammate was glaring at him. He was expecting a short, comforting exchange. Not something like this. It was more than he could ask for. More than he was used to receiving with a personality like Tsukishima's.

"...Of course. I know that, Tsukki." he replied at his own pace, still a bit bewildered.

"Good." he replied, biting the words. Then he lifted the textbook to close it and place it carefully over the bedside table "I'm done. Wanna watch The Twilight Zone?" he proposed casually, softening his voice and body language. Even before getting an actual answer, he was already taking Yamaguchi's laptop to search for the show.

"Sure, sounds great." he simply replied, feeling incapable to erase the soft smile that manifested on his face. He still had one more question to figure out before actually finishing his homework but he could do it quickly tomorrow during breakfast. For now, trying to relax while watching a delightfully bizarre show alongside his best friend sounded like a better plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor baby Kageyama hahaha my heart aches for his awkwardness


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every single chapter ends up being longer than the previous one, I'm so SORRY.  
> As always I hope this is readable and the length is not an issue  
> Anyways, I was planning to wrap the story up in four chapters but I don't think that will be enough for what I have planned.  
> I don't feel like making the fourth one EXTREMELY LONG so, I'm probably going to tell the rest in two chapters instead of one.  
> That's all, I hope you like it <3

The way to school has been...uncomfortable, to say the least. He had been forced to have breakfast while being bombarded by a bunch of text messages coming from the most annoying orange whirlwind, who did nothing but adding more and more advice to the list of details to keep in mind to have an optimal confession. Things like: how crucial it was to walk him behind the school building to talk. Give him flowers. To have previously prepared what he was going to say and how. Be straightforward and concise, but not boring and taciturn as he usually was (Hinata's appreciation, of course, not his own). At some point in the morning, he decided to turn off his phone. It's not like he didn't appreciate the best interest of who was probably his closest friend inside the team (even though he wasn't willing to admit that out loud). However, his bits of advice were starting to pile up into a fragile Jenga tower that was fated to tumble down with just some more stimulation. All of his little contributions seemed to be ripped directly from shōjo manga cliches, therefore it was pretty easy to infer how to act in order to meet those standards.

As if that wasn't enough, he almost forgot his umbrella. Too engrossed in the plan that was meant to be carried out somehow throughout the day. It wasn't until his mother, with her panda-shaped slippers, her hair half up, and a glare that declared that she was going to murder him if he didn't retrace his steps immediately, reminded him that it was going to rain that afternoon.

Once outside the bus that left him a few blocks away from Karasuno, he made a technical stop by Ukai's shop to buy a bar of chocolate. A small one, simple, nothing flashy. Before shoving it deep down the depths of his bag. And just in case, just in the unlikely scenario of Yamaguchi being an avid shōjo manga reader in secret and those kinds of details would actually have some extra effect sweeping him off his feet, he ripped a small, yellow flower from one of the grasslands that framed the path to school. Which ended up having the same fate as the chocolate.

If time seemed to be mocking him the day before, now it had decided to torture him with twisted sadism. The weapon of choice: endless monologues about historical events, names of heroes he didn't know, and important dates that he should have memorized months ago to be updated with the lesson.

The warm morning sun caressed the side of his disinterested face, and curtains of black hair falling over his eyes as he started to lower his head unconsciously, provided him with a comfortable excuse to rest his head in his desk, and sink down into somnolence. He spent all his life admiring athletes who were exceptional in their fields, but, in that brief moment, he started to envy the stereotypical western superheroes. Because if there was someone out there who could manipulate time willingly, it was them. When his heavy eyelids raised up again lazily, he was being shaken by a classmate, only to inform him that class was already dismissed. And that simple bit of information forced him to react as if someone had just slapped him. Some sort of electric current made him straightening up while cleaning some drool from his mouth with his forearm after his improvised nap. With notebook in hand and a backpack that hid some crucial elements for the development of his plan hanging out by one shoulder, he sprinted down towards the classroom where he was used to going a couple of times a week.

It wasn't difficult to recognize that particular figure in between the rest of the crowd; tall, slender but not scrawny, with a pair of particularly rebel hair strands that would permanently stick up from the top of his head. As soon as he saw him, he was swiped away by an overwhelming feeling of hope. Everything was going to be okay. They would get started with the homework; he would give him the flower when he was distracted. Would confess with eloquent words (or at least try to) and seal the deal with the chocolate. Everything would be fine. And the expectation kept a flame burning in his chest, sending a sort of anxious buzz throughout his bloodstream, practically vibrating with emotions. Everything was going to be fi...

Once he was closer, he analyzed him carefully. There was no notebook on hand or any other object that inferred that he was going to spend his lunchtime studying. Only his usual bentō wrapped in between long fingers, and a glance fully directed at Tsukishima; he and his stupid silhouette rising like a tower over his plans. Tadashi smiled widely at him, showing his teeth with cheerful optimism before inevitably turning around at the sound of Kageyama's voice.

"Yamaguchi."

"Oh. Hey, Kageyama! I...I'm sorry, but I promised Tsukki I would have lunch with him today." he explained in a rush. One of his hands took place at the back of his neck, in his usual nervous habit, accidentally messing the back of his hair. The effort that was made by Kageyama to pay attention only to his words and ignore Tsukishima's bragging smile was practically superhuman. "I should have told you before. I'm really sorry."

"It's okay." he interrupted, not wanting to rip a million apologies from him "We are going to meet again to work on your spikes after practice anyway."

"Actually, um..." he started once more. By now, the adrenaline that had fed Kageyama's determination in his way to the classroom was fading hastily. Leaving nothing but a cold, empty feeling behind "There's a physics test tomorrow, and I could use some extra time to study. Also, it's going to rain..." he added later, giving a sidelong look through the window to the gray storm clouds which, indeed, supported his words. The setter's eyes silently followed "...so we all should try to head home early, right?"

The only thing he was capable of pronouncing without stepping all over his own dignity was a simple " _Mhm_ " agreeing with Yamaguchi's alibi. He, who couldn't even begin to know the number of mixed feelings that conversation was causing, but, still, looked incredibly guilty.

"Another time, okay?" he insisted weakly, before following the steps of his best friend, who was already making his way out the stairs. 

Kageyama just stood there for a while before returning his pace in the opposite direction, walking his usual path towards the bending machine near the gym. For the last three years, he was convinced that the worst sensation he ever had was the icy understanding of being alone on the court. The devastating sound of the ball bouncing on the ground while his teammates looked down on him with disdain. That moment would probably state the most humiliating experience he had and would have...but now, it had a bit more competition.

Despite the heart’s hardships, time still went through, relentlessly. The practice came and went. Captain had dismissed them after wishing for a good night of rest a few minutes ago. The first raindrops that made way before the forecasted downpour gave them some time to start their way home. Hinata was the first one to flee, since living the farthest and having to ride his bike all the way through, he had to make sure that the road wasn’t too slippery yet. The second-year trio left after, in between joyful conversation, each one with their umbrellas. Then Tsukishima and…

 _Screw it._ He swallowed hard, mentally preparing for what he was about to do. Squashing his sports shirt inside his volleyball bag and roughly hanging it over his shoulder, he rushed to the gym’s entrance, right where the first year dynamic duo were about to make their exit.

“Yamaguchi!” he called for the second time that day, one of his hands clinging to the opened door. The one he called for was barely a few steps outside, while the blonde was already about to encircle the building to leave “It wasn’t true, right?”

The boy blinked. One, two times. While the drops that forcefully fell over the metallic roof of the hallway that connected the gym with the school musicalized the silence.

“What…?”

“Yamaguchi, hurry up.” the blocker pressed from his spot. Normally (daily, even) the same thing happened. Yamaguchi followed him, always loyal, asking for him to wait up. At first, Tobio thought about it as rude behavior (and it probably was) but eventually, he realized that maybe that was just their dynamic. Maybe Tsukishima wouldn’t leave even if Yamaguchi didn’t ask him to wait…or perhaps he would, anything was possible with that bastard…

“Go on ahead, Tsukki! We’ll talk later.” he reassured the other with another one of those toothy grins that made him squint his eyes due to his cheekbones rising up with glee. His friend just glanced at him before nodding, readjusting his earphones properly over his ears, and finally disappearing behind the building “Um, I’m sorry. What was that again, Kageyama?”

“Your test. It wasn’t true, right?” he insisted, hiding his hands inside his pants pockets while observing the other opening up an umbrella, pondering about his answer.

“What makes you think that?”

The setter looked over his shoulder, briefly absentminded, wondering how to put into words something that was simply a hunch.

“Remember when captain brought everyone meat buns last week?”

“…yeah?”

“Tsukishima said something about not being hungry. That guy barely eats anything” he added later, quite annoyed “I remember you said you didn’t want Daichi to scold him, so you ate both when he wasn’t looking.”

“…okay?” he conceded, visibly confused “Where are you going with this?”

“Well, obviously Daichi-san asked Tuskishima if he ate his share. And you interfered to say that he did. But you didn’t look up at him and…” bringing one hand towards the back of his neck, without touching it, he imitated the nervous mannerism of the other “…you know, you touched your hair, like you do sometimes. You did the same thing today when you told me about the test.”

It took a long moment for Yamaguchi to decide what to even reply to that. And when he did, his voice was reduced to almost a whisper, trembling due to uncomfortable laughter.

“You know? I feel like a need a lawyer to carry on with this conversation…”

“It’s okay if you don’t want to study with me anymore.” Tobio interrupted. “Or practice together. I don’t mind. I just would’ve wanted you to say it to my face.”

It was then when the entire energy of the atmosphere changed. Instead of uneasiness for not being able to comprehend each other fully, or how embarrassing it could be to try to express themselves, now a deep tension took place between them. Yamaguchi’s face darkened with a notorious hint of annoyance.

“Look, why are you acting like this is important to you?”

Thereupon, Nishinoya and Tanaka were the next ones to leave the gym. It probably was the third years’ turn to close this time. They both said goodbye to Kageyama with their usual frantic energy, patting his shoulders, and giving him long looks of camaraderie, both suspicious and incredibly obvious. He couldn’t help but silently thank Hinata for never revealing to them the identity of the person he dreamed about two days ago. Nevertheless, no matter how irritating those guys could be at times, their absence left a trail of suspicion and stiffness behind them, palpable in the air. He lifted his blue eyes to see him, but his teammate no longer met his glance.

“What are you talking about?” the setter questioned carefully.

“Dude, it’s raining.” Retorted the other one, making a vague gesture with his hand to point at the torrent of water that grew in intensity by the minute “I…I gotta get home. Everything is fine, okay? I’m not mad at you or anything. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Without any word, he undertook his way out firmly, leaving an almost empty gym and a teenager who was about to burst under the weight of his own feelings. Too inexperienced in social areas, too focused on his goals and athletic dreams, too negligent with his relationships, too isolated inside himself…all his mistakes had culminated at that moment. They had exploded into a misunderstanding that was too big for his comprehension. But despite that, he wasn’t the same person he was a year ago. He wasn’t a tyrant king who thought that only his way was the right one. He didn’t look down on others while waiting for them to adapt to him. He had to adapt to Yamaguchi. He had to understand how he offended the other to proceed correctly. If he had been able to take off that heavy crown along with his deplorable attitude and reputation, if he had been able to grow as a person since then…he could do it again.

 _He ran._ Without thinking twice, he rushed to follow him. The bag that hung from his shoulder bounced roughly against his side. The icy rain drenching his uniform, his feet sinking in puddles as he sprinted, pursuing his back as if his whole future depended on it.

“Yamaguchi!” how many times would he have to call his name today to be able to fix everything? But at least it worked, the other male turned in his direction, big brown eyes wide open “What did you mean?”

“Kageyama, come on, you are going to get soaked…”

“Just answer me, please!”

“You are the one who hates studying with me!” he finally blew up, gesticulating with his free arm “You are the one who hates practicing with me.”

This time was his turn to slowly blink, processing the information.

“Who told you that? Tsukishima?”

Yamaguchi rolled his eyes so hard it almost physically hurt, throwing his head back, obviously irritated. 

“No, it wasn’t Tsukishima. I realized on my own” he replied, suddenly tired “Lately you don’t even look me in the eye or reply to me when I talk. And every time I miss a spike or start to get tired, you look at me with so much disapproval that I…I don’t know, it makes me feel as if I was Hinata or something.” as he explained his point of view, his voice began to soften, becoming less aggressive to finalize in a tone that balanced between disappointment and lighthearted with his last joke, trying to take the weight off an issue that obviously affected him “Now, please, can you open your umbrella?”

“Who cares about that?” he growled without thinking.

“Fine. So you want to get sick and not be able to play for Nationals?” a brief pause answered his question. Eventually, the setter resigned to bury his hands inside his wet bag, reluctantly. He found the umbrella and opened it seconds after. The long black bangs were dripping over his face, his feet were freezing because of the wet socks, but at least the situation wouldn’t get any worse from now “That’s better.” Yamaguchi conceded softly “Hey, seriously, Kageyama. It’s okay. You are a _prodigy_ , after all. It must be pretty boring to train with me, I get it. We don’t have to be super close, you know? We can still be acquaintances and teammates.”

“You are wrong.” He replied suddenly, walking the short distance that was missing to be alongside the brunette, who seemed to be puzzled.

“Eh?”

“When I’m in class, I just want time to pass until lunch.” he explained, brandishing his usual honesty as a weapon. There was no point in trying to disguise his real emotions at this point, not after having chased him under the rain (now _that_ was a shōjo manga cliché) “And our practice, I wait for it all week. It’s…fun.”

“Fun?” he repeated, not believing his ears “Then…why don’t you talk to me? I’m confused.”

“That’s…my way to focus.” He admitted, starting to slowly walk while Yamaguchi followed instinctively, abandoning the school behind them “You are trying hard to teach me. I can’t afford to waste your time.”

“You know you can focus _and_ still talk to me, right?”

Tobio just frowned deeply as an answer, before muttering in between clenched teeth.

“That’s easy for you to say. You are good at school.”

For a moment, they remained like that; walking shoulder to shoulder, without talking. It seemed like the pinch server was busy incorporating his explanations, rewriting the mental image he had projected, trying to replace the assumptions created by his own perspective with the sudden truth that Kageyama was offering.

“What about practice, then?” he inquired eventually “Weren’t you glaring like you wanted to murder me because you were mad at me for making mistakes?”

“No!” he replied rapidly, connecting his blue eyes with his teammates, looking slightly desperate to prove that particular assumption really wasn’t true “I was mad at myself. I promised that you would get better with my sets. So, when something goes wrong, I feel like it’s my responsibility.”

Surprisingly, it seemed like in the middle of that word vomit and half-assed explanations, he had reached a socially acceptable point. Because his argument managed to tear a subtle grin from the other. It wasn’t that outstanding smile that he had seen him dedicate to the blonde giraffe twice that very same day. No, it was smaller, barely an upward curvature of his lips. But it was fresh and natural, as if he was suddenly relieved.

“I thought you knew by now that you can’t do everything on your own.” He muttered, giving him a gentle look “Look, I admire your dedication and everything, but…a good atmosphere is important for a team, too, don’t you think? You can’t score a point if everyone is all tense.” He tried to reason, all the while the familiar streets surrounding the educational establishment received them. They weren’t far from the exact spot where Tobio had ripped a yellow flower that morning, except now the plot of land should look dark and overflowing with water “Normally Suga-san would try to take your negativity away by hitting you, so…” even when seeming doubtful to even try it, Yamaguchi raised his free hand to mildly strike his side. It almost didn’t hurt, and Kageyama could feel how he didn’t use all of his strength for the hit. Once done, he whispered a small ‘ _There_ ’ under his breath “You don’t have to take everything so seriously. Just relax and talk to me, okay?”

“Yes. I can do that.” he conceded almost immediately, feeling happy to have lightened the atmosphere, even a little “I’m sorry.”

They remained quiet for a bit, slowly moving forward through the storm. Waterfalls descended from the pointy corners of both of their umbrellas, and their splashing steps across the pavement resounded loudly.

“Ha…I’m so glad I was wrong.” Yamaguchi started minutes after, voice shaking due to laughing while talking “I thought you were acting like that because you hated me or something.”

He kept going. Talking and talking. A habit he acquired thanks to Tsukishima; there were times where he kept the conversation going to fill in the empty spaces his best friend left, for not being so fond of conversing. His verbal torrent was the reason why he didn’t notice the way Kageyama stopped walking, turning to stand in front of Yamaguchi’s side and placing a hand on his shoulder. While he was at it, Tadashi continued with his little monologue, saying something along the lines of ‘ _I guess I got everything wrong, anyways, um…’_. Nonetheless, when he finally noticed the foreign contact, the young man fell silent and stopped his march, adjusting his body to be face to face with his teammate. Tobio felt like something like that was necessary; a concise, convincing, clear gesture. Something that stopped the avalanche of extremely self-deprecating thoughts and managed to make him listen, to make him understand.

“I like you, Yamaguchi.” He solemnly declared. Such an unrelenting and serious tone that no one could ever doubt its veracity. As it usually happened when something astonished him, Yamaguchi kept quiet, glancing in direction of the hand that weighed heavily against his shoulder and, then, upwards to those determined cerulean eyes. Gradually, little by little, he offered a sideways smile and patted his forearm in a friendly gesture.

“I like you, Kageyama.” There was something about the candor of that moment. Something about both the undeniable affection and sheer innocence their words held. There was something that made him thankful for not having the chance of confessing with a stupid flower and chocolate. Of not having ruined his only opportunity to express his feelings in such a generic way. Even if it seemed strange, this felt way more intimate, more personal… “Do you wanna get some meat buns for the way? I won’t eat both this time.”

Coach Ukai ordered out loud for them to ingest a proper meal once they reached their home, to which they replied affirmatively in unison while leaving the shop.

The general ambiance felt lighter and pleasant; the rain had finally dissipated, revealing some of the stars that splashed the night sky behind faint dark clouds. Looking upwards, the way those distant points of light contrasted against the black sky reminded him of the arrangement of Yamaguchi's freckles on his face. The heavy downpour had been replaced by a couple of timid drops that fell gently from time to time, so the umbrellas were considered useless, hanging closed from their hands. The golden lights of the street's posts led their way, inspiring an odd sense of safety from Tobio. The brunette withdrew a steaming meat bun from the paper bag he was holding and offered it to him, extending his arm. The heat that was transmitted in his hand collaborated greatly with this dreamlike environment that they were building without even realizing it.

“Hey, Kageyama” he started with a reserved voice. The setter was grateful that the other kept his eyes on the ground as he advanced, so he wouldn't be able to notice the vulgar way in which he had just devoured half of his snack with a single bite. “I’m sorry about lying earlier.”

The warmth in his hand and mouth, the refreshing scent of rain in the air, the affable fondness between them with each interaction ... his hunch earlier this morning had turned out to be correct; all went well.

“Don’t be. It was my fault. I made everything awkward.”

That was followed by a slight nasal chuckle, which sounded like he wanted to laugh louder but didn't want to offend his teammate.

“Maybe a little.” he conceded after, taking a bite of his own from his portion, delighted with the heated steam that escaped from it. They stayed like this, comfortable, silent, for a few minutes. Moving on wet ground and heading towards the road, Kageyama knew that the bus stop where he should stop would soon manifest itself on the horizon. Which is why he decided to be the first one to break the ice before time ran out.

“So…I guess we can go back to the tutorships and volleyball practice next week, don’t you think?” he adventured, cautiously.

“Next week?” repeated the other, considering the possibility. He took his time, taking another bite of the bun and swallowing before deciding, in a dismissive voice “Nah, I don’t think so.” Tobio perfectly sensed the exact moment when the consumed food transformed into heavy boulders that pushed him towards the center of the earth. However, Yamaguchi smiled “Tomorrow is Friday. We could use it to make up for the time we lost today.”

He was so, so relieved that neither Hinata nor Tsukishima were there to see the way he turned his head the other way, to disguise the stupid grin that manifested on his normally stoic features.

“Sure. Sounds good.”

He arrived home thirty minutes later, drenched and flabbergasted. And, beyond a brief comment from his mother, asking if he was feeling feverish from being out in the rain (and blaming his reddened ears as proof of her hypothesis), the dinner passed without much predicament. After a hot shower, he got ready to continue with that little ritual in which he had been involved for the past two nights; checking his phone before going to bed. To his surprise, on the old-fashioned screen made up of monochrome pixels, Yamaguchi Tadashi's name was listed alongside the statement: [1] New Message

[received: 21:07 pm.] Hey! Did you get home safely?

Eager to compose himself, he sat on the edge of the bed and scowled at the phone, reading the message over and over again, giving it the importance it deserved. He wrote a reply. He erased it. And wrote half of another before erasing it again. Then, he inhaled heavily through his nose, slowly inflating his chest, quieting his thoughts and stupid expectations. After that, he finally managed to type a normal answer.

[sent: 21:10 p.m] Yeah, I’m fine. You?

[received: 21:12 p.m] Meh. A little wet, but I’m not complaining -_-

[received: 21:12 p.m] See you tomorrow, Kageyama! (:

 _Huh_. He wrote emojis with his phone’s keyboard. There was no way to obtain that annoying empty rectangle. How comforting.

[sent: 21: 15 p.m] See you.

Overflowing with exaltation, he flopped down on his bed with a smile full of confidence and superiority. Even if he had not carried out that absurd confession idea, he had achieved something much more important, to save his friendship with Yamaguchi. He even got to receive a message from him! Something he could only dream of the night before. However, he couldn't get carried away by emotion and forget all that he had learned. His overjoyed smile soon turned into a concentrated and thoughtful expression; this was a serious matter. He couldn't afford to screw up again. From now on he must pay more attention when communicating with him, to not make the wrong impression again and...

Yamaguchi's words abruptly echoed in his mind: ‘ _You don't have to take everything so seriously all the time._ ’ At that memory, he growled heavily from the depths of his throat and covered his face with his hands in frustration. He wanted to slap himself as he used to do in desperate moments on the court, to clear his mind. What was the right answer? 

Promptly, the phone vibrated in his hand, and his heart seemed to skip a beat. He hurriedly pounced on the screen to check what new message Yamaguchi might have sent him and… _Ah_. It was Hinata.

[received: 21:30 p.m] Kageyama!!!! Did you confess after practice??

[sent: 21:30 p.m] No. It wasn’t a good time.

[received: 21:31 p.m] Aw, poor Yamayama-kun! Did you get nervous??

[sent: 21:31 p.m] Shut up.

[received: 21:33 p.m] What did you with the flowers and chocolate?

[sent: 21:34 p.m] I ate it.

[received: 21:34 p.m] Did you EAT the flowers?!!!!

[sent: 21:35 p.m] Leave me alone, you dumbass.

[received: 21:37 p.m] Hey, listen. I have been thinking. Maybe we have been looking at this from the wrong angle.

He raised a black eyebrow skeptically, those kind of expressions weren't usual in Hinata's vocabulary. He was probably trying to imitate Yachi-san's way of speaking. After all, that shrimp had been spending quite a bit of time with her lately.

[received: 21:39 p.m] You would never give away flowers and chocolate. That’s just not you. Maybe we were forcing it too much.

[received: 21:40 p.m] You should be yourself and confess your way.

Being himself... stop trying to be the most dedicated and focused student, even forgetting to talk to his tutor to not overlook any details of the explanation. Stop being silent when he was nervous. Stop planning ridiculously grand gestures that didn't suit his personality. Would it be as simple as that? Be himself? Could something so imprecise really be the answer?

[sent: 21:45 p.m] You think it could work?

[received: 21:46 p.m] Well…in all the dramas my mom and Natsu watch, they always insist on honesty and that kind of stuff. So, I guess?

He nodded at the message. Yamaguchi seemed to enjoy spending time with him today, he looked comfortable when Tobio was being honest and direct. Alright, if the solution was really that simple ...he could do it.

[sent: 21:48 p.m] Okay, I’ll think about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That awkward moment when you almost confess to your crush in the rain but not really  
> Maybe "I like you" will be our always


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I have given up with the way the chapters just end up being massively long haha  
> As always, I just hope is readable and that you enjoy it!

"You know? … Using your favorite song as an alarm tone sounds like a good idea until you have to hear it every day. You'll end up hating it. " his father had spoken those words a few months ago, sitting on the other side of the small table when they ate dinner. While holding a steaming plate of white rice in his hands and his voice shaking due to a gleeful laugh let out at the same time.

That morning, along with the birds chirping outside the window and his favorite SIX LOUNGE song blasting through his cell phone speakers, his father's voice echoed inside his head as a reminder of the committed mistake. He made a mental note about changing the alarm tone throughout the day while reaching an arm, desperately trying to put it off for a few more minutes.

With long limbs wrapping tightly around the pillow, he allowed his face to sink into the softness of it, letting himself easily be carried away by the heavy drowsiness exerted on the barely opened eyelids. Tadashi liked to sleep, very much. Despite having attended school in the morning throughout his life, getting up early had always been an inconvenience in his routine. In his childhood years, his mother had to enter the bedroom three times to wake him fully, resorting to a more impetuous tone in the mornings when the time was running low and her son was barely placing a foot on the floor before inevitably falling asleep again, in that awkward position.

However, those sweet childhood days were left behind. He now had sixteen years weighing over moderately built shoulders, so it was about time to begin to fend for himself in whatever way he could. An example of this was setting three alarms to wake up completely each morning, allowing the luxury of snoozing two of them before finally getting up. And so as not to bother his mother (too much, anyway).

Eventually, the song played for the third time. And, with a heavy sigh of resignation, he tugged the warm, comforting sheets off to face the cold day ahead. Arriving for breakfast a few minutes later, wearing the school uniform and carrying a green backpack with one hand. Proceeding then to wish his parents a good morning, like every day, before helping himself a generous portion of rice and eggs. After all, Nishinoya always told them how important it was to eat large rations to properly burn energy throughout the day. His father went to work almost immediately, and said goodbye with a quick wave and a good-natured smile; he looked like Tadashi, only with much less hair and shorter height. His mother, who took the liberty of opening the backpack to store the daily bentō, shared with him the same freckles that dotted her nose and cheekbones as well as the olive-hued brown hair. That little routine of waking up, eating breakfast, and sharing a brief conversation with his parents before going out was the foundation to start the day off on the right foot.

The outside greeted him shortly after with a damp, cold day. The remnants of the previous night's rain were evident in the heavy dew that covered every patch of grass in the path. The route he repeated daily rarely varied, so his feet moved on their own as his mind wandered distractedly, thinking about things like future plans for the weekend, the manga he might catch up on, or places to go, probably alongside his best friend. Tsukishima lived relatively close to the school, so Tadashi's journey always required a technical stop at the household to wait for him and continue together to their shared destination. Once the door was opened, revealing the tall silhouette of the boy, Akiteru briefly appeared to wave at them, wearing a wide grin that Yamaguchi returned without hesitation, while the youngest of the brothers only rolled his eyes with emphasis as he lazily walked towards the brunette's way.

"Morning, Tsukki!" he greeted energetically, resuming the march alongside the other. Shortly after, he remembered something that was meant to mention from the day before but was forgot"I found a great band yesterday, let me look up the name..." was muttered lowly, as he removed his phone from his pants pocket and searched through the list of downloaded titles. Meanwhile, the blonde simply let out a long yawn, partially covering his mouth with the back of his hand, in response.

"I hate Fridays."

At that, Yamaguchi put the device away once more. There would be plenty of time to introduce his friend to new music for the rest of the day. He gave the other a curious look, arching a brow slightly.

"What are you talking about? It’s the best day of the week." it was practically a scientific fact, logical to think. It was the day before the weekend. How could anyone in the world hate it?

"On Fridays, we have Literature and English. And then practice until evening." reasoned the other, in a monotonous voice. Being excellent in studies did not mean that there weren't subjects that he hated with a passion.

"I mean, yeah. But..."

"I hate Fridays." he reiterated in a forceful tone.

“Okay, how about we make the day more promising with a movie marathon tonight or something?” he offered, with the birth of a new smile on his youthful features. After spending so many years strengthening his friendship with Tsukki, he had become quite perceptive when recognizing the type of humor the other carried depending on the day, and finding safe ways to cheer him up if necessary. Usually, by watching a movie, listening to new music, or eating something sweet, Tsukki's mood would almost certainly improve. And this time it seemed to be no exception, since the boy remained speechless for a few moments, considering the offer. His hardened expression by grumpiness and numbness seemed to suddenly soften.

"You know the King won't let you escape his little meetings after practice this time." he reminded the other, not without reason to back up the argument. After all, he had promised himself to Kageyama that they would train together that day.

"Yeah, well, but…" Tadashi started, trying to find a solution capable of satisfying both the blocker and the setter "I can go to your house right after. I just have to let my parents know first."

"…alright" he finally conceded "But we'll watch Jurassic Park III"

"Again?"

"I don't wanna hear it. You fell asleep last time we tried to see it."

"Because the plot doesn't even try anymore!"

"You won't make sense to the plot if you fall asleep every time" since they were children, Tsukki had found a fascination with those prehistoric beasts. He couldn't count on the fingers of both hands the number of afternoons he spent at the Tsukishima's household playing with figures of different species together with his friend, or designing paper-mâché dinosaur eggs, or devouring animated films that focused on prehistoric times together on the couch in their living room (and usually accompanied by an Akiteru as dazzled as they were). Over time, this obsession turned into an interest that occasionally caught his attention again, probably fueled by strong childhood nostalgia. That was the main reason why Tadashi didn't have the heart to refuse, although the third film in the western series seemed rather boring for his taste.

"Fine. But next time I'll pick the movie."

Winning a battle of intellects was certainly another way to enliven Tsukishima's spirits. This was evident in the petulant little smile that spread across his face as he made his opponent surrender. After that, he proceeded to carefully removing the large white headphones from the depths of his backpack and plugging them into his cell phone before speaking again.

"By the way, Yamaguchi. How come that you will see the King today when this very week you told me about how uncomfortable he made you feel?"

"I… it’s just…" he began, somewhat nervous. One of his hands ventured to move towards the back of his neck as it normally did, before recalling Kageyama's little monologue the night before. Shit, now he felt self-conscious by a nervous gesture that he himself hadn't noticed until someone else said it to his face "... we talked about that yesterday. You know, after you and I said goodbye."

"Yesterday." the other repeated, a raised blond eyebrow and a tone of voice that brimmed with suspicion.

"Yes."

"The night it rained throughout the city?"

"That's right."

"Sounds like something he would do." he finally concluded, choosing a song from the selection that was manifested on his cell phone screen.

"He said he wasn't talking much because he wanted to concentrate, and… to not waste the time that I was offering him, or something like that." he continued with a cautious voice, something inside his chest made him feel the need to provide a more substantial explanation to Tsukki, who deserved it both for his status with Tadashi and for the more-than-tense relationship he had with Kageyama.

"Ha...I suspected that guy only had one brain cell, but...really? Can't he talk and focus at the same time?"

"That's what I told him!" with nicer words, _of course_ "But, I don't know. I think he was being honest. And now that I know he doesn't hate me or anything like that… I don't see any reason to refuse to hang out again."

"I've thought about it for five seconds, and I've already come up with a dozen reasons. Want me to tell you?" he replied with graceful speed. And, as much as he sincerely liked Kageyama, still, the sharp comment of the other elicited a loud laugh from Tadashi. One of Tsukki's good points that normally nobody saw, too focused on his sarcasm or bad attitude, was _how funny_ he could be. He had always admired how the blonde came up with witty answers in seconds and how his serious tone only made it more fun in context. As was usually the case, from spending so many years with someone, Tadashi had also adopted a bit of that agile humor.

"Sure, you can list them all, one by one, during the Literature class, what do you think?" he returned with a jovial smile, obviously having fun.

"Uuuugh, you reminded me that that class _existed_." the blocker closed his eyes, nose wrinkling in disgust as he dragged the first vowel of the growl emitted. "Thanks a lot, Yamaguchi."

"Anytime, Tsukki." he practically crooned, before watching out of the corner of his eye as his friend finally covered his ears with the headphones. It was all right, the silence didn't bother him. He had woke up in a good mood and they were close to school already, after all.

The infamous class came and went without much inconvenience for Yamaguchi, although he had to receive some paper notes from Tsukishima that contained little scribbles about the torture that the lesson meant to him. Having to swallow the urge to laugh in the middle of a classroom was an uncomfortable feeling, like when you try to stop the natural instinct to sneeze because you don't want to make noise. Your body suddenly feels tense and unnatural.

 _Okay, okay, you can do it. Just think of something boring._ Something that wouldn't make you laugh in any way. Factory jobs documentaries, that's it. Science books without illustrations. Jogging around the gym to warm up before practice, he understood the purpose but… come on, what could he do with his brain while running? He couldn't talk to Tsukki without the captain scolding him for wasting air, just looking at the back of his teammates' neck until he felt his muscles burning. _Boring_. Practice made him think of volleyball. Volleyball made him think about Kageyama. Kageyama made him think about a rainy night, with the aftertaste of a meat bun in his mouth and a heavy, surprisingly warm hand pressing on his shoulder...

_Wait. What?_

How had he ended up there? What a way to get distracted and end up thinking about anything... maybe his friend hadn't exaggerated about how tedious that particular class could be. Either way, it finally ended. And Yamaguchi rushed to grab his notebook and lunch before heading out to find, almost immediately, a slightly agitated Kageyama. It was always the same, at almost the exact moment the pinch server stepped foot out of the room; he was there, looking almost out of breath, as if he had run there. Why would he rush so much? It's not as if he was the most motivated student to learn about history. It was probably just a craving to eat his lunch, to eat calories that he would later burn out, some kind of athletic explanation of that sort.

They settled in their usual place, taking a seat on one of the small concrete stairs that connected the back of the school with the narrow inner yard where the gym was located. They had never disturbed anyone there and it was relatively private, providing a calm and quiet environment. He had barely finished summing up the first historical date from which Kageyama had to write an essay on his own later, before the setter got up from his place for his usual trip to the vending machine, a few steps from the place. Tadashi took advantage of the fleeting moment of solitude to scoop up a particularly crunchy piece of fried squid from his lunch, delighting in the taste as his brown eyes surveyed the rest of the topics they should review to make sure the boy's homework turned out to be as good as possible, decent enough to get a passing grade.

When his teammate returned, he had both hands full. In one, was holding the usual carton of milk that he habitually consumed. In the other, however, was held a box similar in structure, only it's color was different; in shades of pink, featuring a huge illustration of a strawberry. Kageyama reached his arm out in his direction silently, he standing and Tadashi sitting, barely leaning over to reach his height. His gaze was strong, as normally, he almost always looked like that; serious and determined. Even for such small things as offering a box of strawberry milk.

"Oh! Thanks, Kageyama. I was getting a little thirsty, actually..." he acknowledged, brandishing a wide smile because hey, someone else giving you something was always a reason to rejoice. And something that didn't happen much in his life, anyway. While pressing the straw in the indicated spot on the box, the other boy sat down again, looking abruptly stiff.

"I think I have a crush on you." he blurted out, out of nowhere, with his usual composure. Inquisitive eyes were staring at him intently, and if it were anyone else, literally anyone else but Kageyama, he might have assumed it was a joke (a very _strange_ joke, but a joke nonetheless) and continue his day without further ado. However, this was different. He was face to face with the ' _I am-so-sincere-that-my-words-are-scary'_ guy. Somehow, he only came back to reality when he felt a sudden coldness around his hand, only to realize that the milk carton was accidentally pressed in surprise, resulting in a few pink lines drawn on his slightly open fist.

"Wait a minute…" he started, trying to collect his thoughts. Putting the milk aside, squinting into those solemn cerulean eyes as if trying to solve the riddle of a chimera to get out of the maze "What?"

Kageyama let out a heavy sigh, surprisingly looking away at the last minute. After turning around, Tadashi noticed that the tips of the setter's ears were starting to redden. What the hell was happening? Even though the other was most likely trying to be discreet and speak to himself, the murmur in which he muttered _'Do I really have to say it twice…?_ ' was perfectly audible. Gradually, he turned around again, wearing a disgruntled expression, evidently affected by nerves and the embarrassment of the situation. Despite this, he used his best tone of voice, consistent and firm, when he spoke again.

"I. Have a crush. On you." he repeated, separating the words. Emphasizing them. A desperate attempt to be understood.

"But, I… um…" How the hell could he react? He had imagined this moment a million times; some pretty girl, with a soft smile, high-pitched voice and perhaps a high ponytail at the side of her head, would ask him to speak in private and confess, with a trembling voice and a flushed face, that she could no longer hide her true feelings. He had fantasized about that moment several times, fueled by the secondary romantic plots read in manga. But this was incredibly different; Kageyama was neither soft nor delicate, his voice was hard and thick, his words were direct and concise. He… did someone as Kageyama liked him? Someone so immersed in the world of sports that barely looked at other human beings? Had he managed to get the attention of someone like that? Suddenly, he could feel invasive heat materializing on his nape and cheeks, skin boiling with nerves "W-why?" He finally inquired, feeling that someone like him; boring, ordinary, would be unable to attract a personality like his teammate's "Why me?"

In response, he received only a deep frown. It seemed like the question had really thrown him off his feet, or that he just hadn't pondered it until now. The setter shrugged as if downplaying the reasons.

"Why do I like to eat or play volleyball? I just do." once again, those predatory eyes raised towards his direction and... started analyzing him in such a scrutinizing way that Tadashi briefly felt like prey. Kageyama seemed to be looking for reasons written on the other's face "I guess… because you make good floating serves." _… oh_. That almost felt like a relief. His reasoning could simply be due to admiring the way a teammate plays. It wasn't exactly a secret that he hadn't made many friends in Kitagawa Daiichi. Perhaps, considering himself close to his peers for the first time was causing the feelings of friendship to be mistaken for something romantic, right? That could happen, couldn't it? "It's the most complex serve to do well, so it's impressive. And because you work harder than many of our teammates."

Yes, that had to be it. All of the reasons were related to the club, the only bond that united them, it was simply a confusion, he only had to explain it and everything would be clarified...

"Also, you are patient and kind, even with horrible personalities like Tsukishima's." Kageyama proceeded, seeming to remember more and more points as he progressed through his list. Suddenly, his eyes widened in surprise for a split second, as if he just remembered something "Oh, and your face. I almost forgot, I like it too."

"My face." he repeated in a small voice.

"Yes, its symmetrical. And the way you laugh, sometimes I think about that at the end of the day when I'm in my room. And also…"

"I get it, Kageyama! I get it! Thank you!" he urged to interrupt the torrent of words, speaking in a rush and raising his voice as his hands fell heavily on the others shoulders to ask him to, please, stop. "I'll think about your offer, okay? Thank you." He murmured, before leaning back again, sitting back normally. The setter's expression was simply priceless, the proud and triumphant smile that spread over his thin lips just because Tadashi assured that he would think about it almost made him want to throw himself off a cliff in shame "Since when have you felt like this?" He murmured a few seconds later, still too freaked out by the confession. And Tobio's smile disappeared, replaced with his usual 'Don't interrupt me, I'm thinking' expression.

"I think it was since we started spending more time together. I only confirmed it two days ago, tho."

"Wait, only two da...?"

"I had a dream." he interrupted suddenly "We went downtown and bought supporters together. Then we talked, laughed. I told Oikawa-san so he could tell me what it meant."

"Does Oikawa know all this?" he put his hands to his face, completely mortified. Hopefully, the coach will never coordinate another friendly match against Seijoh, please.

"Don't worry, he didn't even listen to me."

"It's... just..." he tried to manifest, elbows resting over knees, holding his head with his hands, gaze fixed on some dead point on the floor, "... it's a lot to process, Kageyama."

"I know. I get it." assured the other, providing a few minutes of silence to get some sporadic bites of his lunch. It seemed that neither of them had much appetite following such a conversation. After a few minutes, where that pause was beginning to envelop them in a kind of mute assurance, Tobio decided to break it with a statement that sounded surprisingly insecure, coming from a person like him "I guess you won't want to practice with me today anymore."

And, somehow, Tadashi smiled. This was shocking, there was no denying it. However, he had overlooked the fact that, no matter what unexpected feelings he held beneath that austere facade, he was still Kageyama. He was still someone simple to understand, he kept drinking milk impetuously and he was still obsessed with sports. The confession was a somewhat awkward detail, but it only had the power to alter their relationship if Tadashi chose to do so. And he didn't consider himself capable of ruining that.

"Of course I will, you volleyball nerd." he then replied, patting his shoulder as he got up from his place, with a notebook that showed an almost blank page and an empty bentō box.

"I'm not a nerd." the other defended himself, imitating Tadashi's movements. Lunchtime would be over soon, anyway.

"Aw, is it the first time anyone calls you that? That's cute. I've been called a nerd since elementary school. Get on my level, Kageyama." he bothered him with a radiant smile. Was he really going to lose the privilege of joking around with someone so serious for deciding to give too much importance to a confession? What nonsense.

"You're not a nerd either."

"I have accepted my fate long ago. But I understand that it's a little early for you." He reasoned with a slight chuckle, crossing the outside area to re-enter the school, followed closely by his teammate. "I know I'm an easy target; I like video games, I do well in school, and… I also have these." he added, pointing vaguely at his face with a wave of his hand.

"Your freckles?" he inquired, confused.

"Yeah, you know, they don't help with the whole nerdy look."

"What are you talking about? It's just freckles."

"Yeah, well... many people had a lot to say about it when I was a kid." He guaranteed, shrugging briefly. He had to put up with a lot of comments regarding his appearance when he was younger. He could understand how someone with freckles could look a bit… foreign. However, as much as he tried to downplay it, labeling those memories as simple childish stupidity, he couldn't help but look at his reflection from time to time and feel the need to cover those marks with his fingers, wondering how he would look without them.

"I don't get it." Tobio suddenly proclaimed, abruptly stopping his spiral of painful memories. "Suga-san has a mole and you don't see it as something weird, do you?"

 _Huh_. Now that he mentioned it… _no_. Neither he nor Kyoko-san seemed unattractive or strange just because they had a characteristic that the others didn't possess. It was just part of their faces; it was natural and perfectly normal. And this was exactly how Kageyama saw him, wasn't it?

…Maybe his way of thinking, so simplistic and direct, was undoubtedly correct.

"I guess not. I hadn't thought of it that way..." he admitted, feeling a curious and intrusive sense of warmth. As they made their way through the crowded school hallways, their conversation began to drift towards less sentimentally heavy topics, being able to carry on casual chats like any pair of colleagues. Fortunately, it seemed like that confession wouldn't change their dynamic "Hey, do you think you will grow even more?" Tadashi inquired at some point, finding himself near the setter's classroom "When we met, we were the same height and now you beat me by about four inches."

"Of course. I plan to beat you by much more." he answered immediately, with a deliberately conceited smile that drew a short laugh from the brunette

" _Nerd._ " he snapped with amusement, before walking away to allow him to enter the class "See you later."

It was more than clear that news like this, so extraordinarily great as to play with Tadashi's sanity, should be shared with his best friend. In search of advice, moral support, an exchange that would clear his cloudy head and help him use his reasoning to find a solution...

…However, the only thing Tsukishima had done in the last minute and a half was laughing out loud.

"Tsukki." he began, using the tone that scolded him enough to regain his composure. It obviously didn't work. With tears welling up in his golden eyes, the blocker gave him a look that bordered on fascination.

"You are going to have a volleyball themed wedding!"

"Tsukki, _please_." he implored in a small voice. And this time, it seemed to be enough. The outrageous laugh subsided into a giggle that made his chest tremble, as he waved a hand in front of his face in a silent promise that he was trying to regain his seriousness.

"Okay, okay." he conceded, leaning against the wall of the room, sitting near the head of the bed. The freaking movie night hadn't even started yet and Tadashi had already lost all of his dignity "It's just… it's too funny. You got a confession from the King! How the hell did that even happen?"

"How could I know?" he exclaimed, panicked "He said that... he started to feel that way since we started spending more time together."

"I suppose those study sessions of yours were _very effective_ for him..."

"Okay, you need to stop."

"You're right." he admitted, with the ghost of a smile over thin lips. Taking off his glasses, damp from the tears he had shed in the fit of laughter, before drying them with one of the ends of his shirt "We should start planning out how you are going to reject him."

"Reject him?" he inquired, feeling a sudden tension in his chest when hearing just how cruel a simple word could sound "I... don't you think that would be a bit harsh?" In response, he only received a raised eyebrow from Tsukishima, the previous amusement that had exploded in his youthful features was transformed from one second to another into a severe gesture.

"What? Has your need to please others really went that far?" He seemed to balance between being surprised, disappointed, and disgusted "Are you going to date him out of pity or something?"

"No! Of course not!" he hastened to clarify, crossing his arms in front of his face in a frantic gesture. Only to drop them to the sides of his body seconds later, feeling defeated "I just… I don't know. This is too weird, I don't even know if I like guys that way..." he mumbled in a low voice, taking his gaze away from the other's face because, for heaven's sake, he never imagined that he was going to be forced to reflect on his sexuality in front of Tsukki, of all people in the world.

"Hmh..." the other muttered simply, leaning his back against the cold wall and watching him with an air of superiority.

"What?" Yamaguchi practically barked, speaking through the hollows of his fingers, with his face in his hands.

"Oh, nothing, nothing." he replied mockingly "I'm just remembering that time you mentioned that there were attractive bald men, precisely in front of Tanaka-san..."

"Tsukki!" he exclaimed, trying to drown out the other's voice. He felt so red that his skin might as well disintegrate completely from the heatstroke "Do you really have to remind me of every stupid thing I've ever said…?"

"Now you mention it, I also remember hearing you talk about how attractive Azumane is."

"Azumane is _objectively_ attractive!"

"And that time you stared at Ennoshita while we stretched after practice..."

"ALRIGHT! Fine! Maybe…" after all, it was true. No matter how much he tried to think of something else, or try to ignore it, certain thoughts or favorable comments about people of the same sex simply escaped his consciousness, they were there as an impulse, as natural as breathing. Just as he had thought that Yachi was a beautiful girl since the very first moment he saw her, he could also think that Azumane possessed an obvious charm. And Tadashi could be simultaneously enthralled with both concepts of beauty. Ha...suddenly he felt like his own words had just bitten him in the ass. After talking so much about different types of beauty with Yachi-san… he was a victim of a revelation "Maybe I'm _starting to assume_ that I can like boys and girls."

"Thank you." Tsukishima nodded, sporting a triumphant smile. He liked winning way too much; it was starting to become a problem. However, his delighted expression disappeared relatively soon to return to his usually serious demeanor "Does the King fall into any of those categories?"

"…No?" he took his time answering, and it almost hurt him to express that word, his shoulders raising up to his ears in a sign of tension. The same image kept repeating itself in his head over and over again; Kageyama extending a milk carton towards him with a disgruntled expression and reddened ears. Kageyama exposing his feelings so crudely and sincerely. His implacable eyes glinting with hopeful naivety as he noticed their dynamic hadn't changed despite the rejection of his confession. At the moment, he was feeling too disoriented by surprise, so he hadn't had time to reflect on how endearing that scene had been. Uncomfortable? Of course. Out of nowhere? Obviously. But...at the same time, undoubtedly endearing. There was something about the irrefutable honesty of that list of reasons he had made up to justify his crush that… that made Tadashi feel like he was about to get sick to his stomach. Was that good or bad? He had no idea "I don't know. I've never thought of him that way."

"Can't blame you. Why the hell would you?" Once again, the scathing reply came with graceful agility. It would have been funny if he wasn't drowning in stress. "Listen, if you really care about hurting his pathetic feelings, turn him down soon. Otherwise, you will raise his expectations and it will hurt him more. Also, we don't need unnecessary drama at the team's practice or anything."

"Kageyama doesn't seem like someone who enjoys drama…" he pointed out in a low voice.

"He doesn't seem like someone capable of feeling human emotions either, but here we are."

"I would never have guessed it," he continued while doing something that rarely happened; Ignore Tsukki's words "but he's more mature and friendly than he normally seems. Also, confessing to someone must require a lot of courage, don't you think? I would feel bad if I just discarded all his efforts..."

He knew the person he had in front. He had known him since they were both kids. He had been a participant in a million of both small mundane moments, and important and momentous. Had seen the full range of reactions that his limited personality could offer. Therefore, he knew perfectly what that silence meant. His lack of response expressed a suspicion so great that it would be impossible to contain it in such a small room.

"Reject him _tactfully_ , then." he finally said, biting the words.

"Yeah…" his own back was also found itself leaning against the wall as he hugged his knees lazily, maybe if he tried to compress himself, to become small, maybe reflect on these types of questions so exceptionally immense wouldn't be so difficult. “I guess I still have to think about it.”

At the lack of words, he could feel the heavy burden of a pair of eyes resting on him, feeling almost as investigated, analyzed, and scrutinized as had happened during his lunch. Sometimes, due to how reserved and taciturn the blocker could be, it was easy to forget that just as Yamaguchi could recognize every glance, gesture, and mood; the same thing could be said for Tsukishima, who could read his oldest friend like an open book, and who seemed to be noticing something...suspicious.

"What now?" Tadashi complained, words letting out some of the mental exhaustion that the conversation was causing him.

"Nothing." the other answered almost immediately, in a strangely conciliatory tone. While the brunette seemed to try to hide on his knees, he preferred to take the time to open his laptop and look for the dinosaur movie he wanted to watch since morning. However, he did not shy away from muttering a last sarcastic comment "Suddenly I feel like I'm inside an episode of The Twilight Zone, that's all."

Days that would theoretically be used to mull over his decision passed so fleetingly that it almost seemed as if Father Time was trying to taunt him, pressuring him to rush over a matter of utmost importance. With cold mornings and long nights in between, with study meetings, callused palms from practice, and lively conversations echoing through the school halls, with cerulean eyes that glowed from time to time and freckles hidden behind subtle blushes with each touch that happened accidentally, the days passed. Kageyama had confessed his feelings a week ago and it was necessary to recognize that the naturalness with which he was carrying out not getting an immediate response was just another symptom of his maturity. Tadashi did not feel pressured by anyone but himself. By his own need to put his thoughts in order, instead of the chaotic mental space that he suffered from for days. His mind felt like some kind of honeycomb, with swirling thoughts buzzing and stunning his eardrums with possibilities that contradicted each other. One night, tired, he fell resignedly on his bed, listening to his parents' giggles from the dining room. They seemed to have a very simple and direct kind of affection. How did they do it? How did they figure it out?

Because yes, he liked Kageyama. That much was indisputable. His commanding presence on the court was hard to ignore; there he looked giant, skillful, brilliant. As if he was standing precisely where he was born to be. He liked how he looked when he smiled or tried to follow his little jokes. He liked how he worked so hard even for things he was naturally bad at, like school. He liked his big blue eyes that seemed to glare suspiciously at many people... but not at him. He liked his low-pitched voice, especially when he could hear him muttering something like that stupid list of reasons that, a week later, kept echoing in his head.

Would he like Kageyama in that way if he had never confessed? If the very idea of seeing his teammate in a romantic light had never been brought up by anyone… Would he have been able to notice all those small details anyway? He liked Kageyama. But... was it enough to take such a radical and absolute step like accepting a confession? What if they tried to go out and it was all too weird? What if he were to change his mind and break the heart of someone so important? Ugh… being trapped in a hive of buzzing bees was exhausting.

In the middle of the uproar of probabilities, ideas, and catastrophes tangled within his mind, something was heard. Something that broke all sounds. Something that silenced the chaos with inexorable solemnity. Something as simple as the tone of his phone, which indicated that he had a new message. Somehow, he perfectly felt his soul plummet from his chest to his toes at the sight of the name listed on the screen; Kageyama Tobio.

[received: 10:15 p.m] Hi. Did you get home safely?

Huh. He was using the same words that Tadashi had written weeks ago. Endearing.

[sent: 10:15 p.m] Yup! Just had dinner and was laying down. What about you?

[received: 10:17 p.m] Same. I was practicing finger push-ups but got bored.

[posted: 22:28 p.m] Volleyball nerd!

[received: 22:29 pm] Mean. I was writing to congratulate you on how much you have improved your spikes, you know?

[received: 22:29 p.m] And this is how you pay me...

Shit, once more he could feel his skin burning uncomfortably.

[sent: 10:30 p.m] Aw, poor thing. You'll break my heart.

[sent: 22:31 p.m] That's all you wanted to tell me?

Even though he was visibly confused, even though he had tried to decipher his own feelings, bathed in adolescent hormones and sexual conflicts, even though he still didn't know what was happening to him at all... there was no doubt that the way his heart was pounding in anticipation for an answer had to be a clue of his true feelings.

[received: 22:35 p.m] Yes?

[received: 22:35 p.m] Why? Did you want to tell me something?

Oh, _clever_. Too clever for someone who normally scratches stones to achieve the lowest passable grade. Perhaps the time they had spent together had made him a little slicker.

[Sent: 10:37 p.m] …maybe.

[received: 10:37 p.m] I hear you, Yamaguchi.

…honestly, screw it. Sitting around in his room thinking for seven days hadn't changed a thing. He had tried to do things his own way, ending up unable to find his way out of this emotional crossroads. Perhaps now he should emulate his teammate's way and simply be more risky and direct.

[sent: 22:40 p.m] I've been thinking about your offer from the other day

[received: 10:40 p.m] Really?

[Sent: 10:41 p.m] And I think it would be best to say no. At least for now.

[Received: 10:45 p.m] for now?

[posted: 22:46 p.m] Yeah. You see... you know quite a bit about me. Because you are ridiculously observant and perceptive. But I don't know much about you

[received: 22:47 p.m] I understand.

[received: 22: 48 p.m] What do you want to know? I could answer whatever you want.

Goddammit. Freaking _e n d e a r i n g_.

[Sent: 22:50 p.m] What I'm trying to say

[sent: 22: 50 p.m] is that I'd like to try to get to know you better.

[received: 10:55 p.m] Really?

[received: 22:55 p.m] I would also like that.

[posted: 22:57 p.m] Hey… you sorta helped me remember that it would be nice to buy a new pair of supporters

[sent: 22:58 p.m] Mine are kinda worn down after so many practices.

[sent: 22:58 p.m] Do you want to come with me?

[received: 22:59 p.m] Yes!

[received: 10:59 p.m] Sure. Yes.

[Sent: 11:01 p.m] Are you free next Saturday?

[Received: 11:02 p.m] I will be. See you at the temple on the way downtown?

[Sent: 23:03 p.m] Sounds good! See you there, Kageyama (:

His heartbeat felt so rampant that it wouldn't surprise him if at any moment his heart decided to escape up his throat. His face felt impossibly hot as if he were on the verge of contracting a deadly fever. He felt uncomfortable, annoyed, tense… and yet strangely satisfied. He had made a decision and… it felt right.

…with this adrenaline rush, Saturday would definitely take forever to arrive, huh?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The word of the day is: endearing.  
> I absolutely adored making this chapter focused on Yamaguchi's POV, getting inside his little world with his family, relationship with Tsukishima, and blooming feelings for Kageyama is just...U G H, I love him so much. He is my favorite character so I really hope I was able to do him justice, at least a little bit  
> The next and also final chapter will feature their first date! Yaaaay finally!  
> Thanks for reading! See you soon


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! I am very sorry for the time it took me to upload this but with the end of the year, work has been very demanding and I couldn't find the time to sit down and write.  
> But here we are! Back again with the YamaKage date (or YamaYama, or ... KageYama?)
> 
> WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE VOLUME 44 EPISODE 387 OF HAIKYUU.  
> If you only watch the anime and don't want to get spoiled, you can hit Ctrl + F on your keyboard and search for "Tadashi found himself stealing a couple of sidelong glances from his teammate" (from here you should stop reading)  
> And "Again, they looked at each other." (it's safe to read again)  
> If you do, you'll miss a piece of dialogue, but it seems like a reasonable price to pay in order to not find out anything you didn't want to know <3
> 
> There is also mention in the dialogues of the Haikyuu's Christmas CD Drama. It is very easy to find on YouTube and extremely entertaining to listen to. Especially the boys singing Jingle Bells.
> 
> Finally, for the most romantic parts, listening to the song "Funeral procession at the sea shore" by Ichiko Aoba helped me a lot. I have no idea what the lyrics say because it's in Japanese, but the singer's music and voice are so beautiful to me that it was perfect for writing fluffy interactions. If you want to hear it while you read, be my guest.

[sent: 23:30 p.m] Guess what

[received: 23:35 p.m] What ???

[sent: 11:35 p.m] Yamaguchi asked me out.

Gloating was wrong. Anyone with a minimum knowledge of courtesy (and even more so in a society so accustomed to respect and kindness such as the Japanese one) could infer it. But, _come on_ , it was hard to blame the inexperienced sixteen-year-old for being absolutely delighted after receiving such an important invitation. The longing of his heart had been exposed just over a week ago, which seemed like more-than-enough time to resign himself to the evident refusal behind the lack of response. Yamaguchi's proposal came as a total surprise, which luckily was orchestrated via text messages, cause he was unsure whether or not maintaining composure could have been possible if it had happened in person.

Kageyama had been extremely patient. Which made him feel rightful about showing off. And that simply was the reason for texting Hinata.

[received: 23:36 p.m] WHAT?!!!! REALLY??

[received: 11:36 p.m] Even after confessing with strawberry milk like an elementary school boy????

[sent: 11:37 p.m] SHUT UP. It worked, right?

[received: 23:38 p.m] Apparently so! Congratulations, Kageyama-kun!!!

[received: 10:38 p.m] You should be thanking ME though!! You would be lost without my foolproof advice on love!!!

[sent: 10:39 p.m] Your advice sucked. I did it all by myself.

A somewhat unfair comment towards Hinata. After all, his contributions may have been brief and completely improvised. But at the same time, so sincere and genuinely nice that denying he had some influence in how Tobio had acted during his little odyssey with romantic affairs seemed pointless. 

His contributions regarding honesty. His humility knowing he was inexperienced, and figuring out he should reach their senpais. And, above all, his discretion about the whole thing had made his image as a person go up a few steps in Kageyama's subjectivity. He was not only a good athlete (in the process, he still sucked at receiving) but a _good friend_.

That was what he thought, sincerely, from the depths of his soul. And obviously, he was never going to tell him about it.

[received: 22:41 p.m] AAAAHA! THE TYRANT KING IS BACK!!!!

[sent: 22:42 p.m] The tyrant king has a date. And you don't.

[received: 10:42 p.m] BAKAGEYAMA !!!!!

That night, he went to sleep with a smile that was equal parts huge, dumb, and childish. The enormous power held by that proposal had the teen completely lost...and there were still a good amount of days to go before reaching the promised meeting.

Like any other date that was eagerly anticipated, Saturday took its sweet time arriving. And amid that eternal delay, a broad range of different and extremely particular days appeared. 

The typical nervousness of the first juvenile infatuation didn't take long to show up. Profoundly aggravated by the fact of _knowing_ both the others' feelings and the fact that they would be completely alone, walking shoulder to shoulder through the streets of Miyagi sooner or later. 

As a consequence, there were days when they hardly spoke; where tutorials stretched between tense and uncomfortable silences, giant bites of lunches to keep their mouths full and minds occupied with a subject that neither of them really cared about. Where private practices were filled with vague indications and orders to follow rather than constructive analysis of athletic performance. Where each accidental brush of skin produced a spark that excited them and repelled them at the same time, staying at a considerable distance on purpose, so as not to make everything even more awkward. Where the walks home were long and full of banal and brief conversations. Where the gazes or words could not be held for more than a few minutes. Because recognizing that you are not only alongside the person you like, but that _you will_ have a date in a few days, only raises expectations, emotions, nerves, and, of course, hormones. 

Causing some kind of emotional bomb in both of their systems, that had to be kept safe so as not to explode with a million insecurities.

Other days, however, were easier. Those days seemed to remind them that the friendship they had formed over the past few weeks had proven to be strong enough to function as a solid foundation. No matter what happened on Saturday, they would still be _them_. And their relationship, which had beautifully evolved from simple amiability to an intimacy where they could joke and chat comfortably, didn't have to change. Kageyama appreciated the normal days and hated awkward ones.

Finally, there was a third type. A peculiar category that he had not yet dared to name. In those days, the exaltation of the date seemed to have exceeded the limit of discomfort to leave them swimming only in euphoria. In those days, they smiled more and Yamaguchi's freckles disappeared behind faint blushes provoked by any comment. In those days the small, brave, subtle flirtations surfaced with caution. The back of their hands sometimes brushed against each other, resting on the same notebook. And they both noticed it. And neither of them avoided contact. In those days Yamaguchi could show him a new song that was claimed to have given him goosebumps. And Tobio would comment, play by play, games he had seen a thousand times as an inspiration for his practices. In those days the conversation flowed like an inexhaustible torrent when they returned home together, sharing hot meat buns to lighten the freezing night air, looking into each other's eyes, and smiling like idiots. They were good days, of course, but they filled him with so much emotional turmoil that would cause him to return home exhausted, at times wishing that the next day would be an awkward one so his poor heart could rest.

Among that wide spectrum of sensations, in the middle of that hormonal storm, that roller coaster of passionate extremes, Saturday finally arrived. And Kageyama woke up early, running even more than usual so that his body, stiff and numb with restlessness, could relax. After showering, and eating a copious breakfast, he tried to kill time until the agreed hour came. His mother intercepted him at the door, as she usually did, with large and curious blue eyes, much softer and gentler than the ones her son carried, but which could express the same toughness and exasperation when upset. 

After briefly explaining that he was going out to see a friend, the door was closed behind him, right before any further questions could be asked, and force him to melt at the entrance of the home due to humiliation.

The cool winter air that worked as a greeting from the outside world helped the reddish hue, which was beginning to spread on the tips of his ears, to slowly fade away. The holiday season had recently passed, with a brief celebration in the school gym and a new year's eve spent at home. Some colorful decorations, flickering lights, and festive atmosphere still continued to hang in random residences or lazy businesses that had forgotten to remove them. In a way, it made him feel stopped in time, like in those cartoon specials where the protagonists wished it would be Christmas every day and then, after obtaining said wish, the temporal vortex that had nothing else to offer than the same celebration over and over again, would pull out all the magic of childish naivety to make it repetitive and empty.

With hands hid inside a dark blue coat, his footsteps moved forward across the frost-drenched sidewalks, his breath manifesting through whitish clouds of steam. While being alone, it was considerably easier not to let himself be overwhelmed by emotion. 

It was turning out to be a similar feeling to stepping on the court, your shoes squeaking against the hardwood floor, and a formidable opponent on the other side of the net. The adrenaline rushing through his bloodstream reminded him of that. However, someone, as trained as Kageyama, knew exactly the way to breathe to stay calm, both in volleyball games and in these kinds of very particular situations.

The entrance to the temple where they were supposed to meet began to manifest on the horizon. An arch of a vibrant red color covered by a thin fair layer of snow and a considerable number of people entering; in silence, with cordial smiles or severe expressions, accompanied or alone, of all kinds. 

Except for someone. 

Someone who didn't plan to enter, but stayed close, looking around from time to time with inquiring eyes. His torso wrapped in a thick dark green jacket, and restless legs (which forced him to take a couple of steps forward to look in a particular direction, before turning back) wore a pair of jeans. Brown hair looking as usual, unmistakable in the crowd due to the two unruly locks that stood up unabashedly. As soon as the weight of the other's gaze fell on Yamaguchi, he turned around and showed a brief relief in his eyes. As if finally finding him would end the tedious process of standing alone in an unknown place.

For Tobio's surprise and pleasure, he offered one of those dazzling smiles. The kind where he unceremoniously shows both rows of teeth and his eyes squint due to the way his cheekbones rose with glee. _Damn_ , he had waited weeks to be worthy of one of those smiles.

"Hey, Kageyama." he greeted, approaching his side with a somewhat strange body language. He seemed tense, but not as much as in the awkward days they had spent in school. A healthy middle between being nervous but trying, with all his might, to sound as casual as humanly possible.

"Hey." was the simple answer and, from the way his voice broke into a tone that seemed to be two-thirds higher than his natural voice, it wasn't difficult to notice that the setter was also a bit more restless than usual.

They set off together without many other remarkable words. Speaking briefly about the cold weather and the expectation to play at the Nationals in a few months. The city expanded before them, presenting endless possibilities that they were, probably, about to miss. 

The tension was palpable in the air. Both seeming to be crushed under the heavy entity that that date represented. Somehow becoming a bigger and more extraordinary fact than life itself. And Tobio tried to take advantage of those extended moments of silence to _think_ , to try and analyze him as he usually did during the school hours they shared. Yamaguchi could be sarcastic and witty when he wanted to, he could make stones speak with his endless stream of conversation topics, and his good predisposition towards difficult personalities. He could even _flirt_ when he wanted to... or at least try to. They both tried. 

However, it was an undeniable fact that, on top of all that, he was shy. Having a more introverted personality than Hinata, Tsukishima or most of the people in the club that he was used to deal with. It was more than likely that finding himself in such a risky and vulnerable situation, alongside a person who he was just beginning to see under a romantic light could only intensify his shyness at times. Therefore, it was up to him to be a strategist; having the duty to figure out the most optimal tactic for both of them to come out of the situation.

Adapt to the needs of your spiker, right? Different heights, different hitting power, different angles. It was essential to take all this into consideration when preparing his set. And here it was a similar scenario; he had to take every possible factor into account to make his... _shit_ , to make his date feel comfortable.

"Kageyama." his name was suddenly called, the other's voice making clear that it wasn't the first time he tried to reach his attention.

Apparently, he had been so distracted searching for a solution to save the atmosphere before it sank under the weight of awkwardness that he had completely ignored the way his steps led them to a store out of habit "Are we there?" Tadashi inquired, pointing vaguely at the window with his index finger.

"Yes. Sorry, yes." he hastened to answer, immediately recognizing the place. It was quite spacious, extending over most parts of the sidewalk. With a stained glass window displaying a row of mannequins in various sports uniforms and accessories, as well as various balls and equipment resting at their feet. The raven-haired young man stepped forward, opening the door and causing the incessant, high-pitched tinkling of a bell to announce their arrival. The sound wasn't a surprise, being used to it by now. It wasn't the first time he had visited the place, after all.

He could feel Yamaguchi's presence closely following him, so he began to move towards the section where the supporters were located.

"So this is your favorite sports store." with genuine interest, he looked around and devoured the space with his brown eyes

"Yes, they have very good quality products here." he explained while leaning forward slightly to examine the price of a pair of sneakers, very similar to ones he already had. "It will cost you a bit more money. But it will last for a long time, and it will protect your body. That guarantee of utility makes it worth spending." he reasoned immediately, gaze lost in the vast selection of products, resembling a child in a candy store.

Tadashi only blinked for a moment, trying to assimilate all the information.

"I...guess so." the reply came a bit too late, all the while imitating the other's movements by tilting his neck forward to observe what had his teammate so enthralled "So, what kind of supporters would you recommend?"

That simple question was enough to make the setter turn around, looking both parts surprised and puzzled. He looked around for the counter where the workers lounged behind. And proceeded to point at it with a flick of his thumb.

"Aren't you going to ask someone who actually works here?"

"Why? I already came with an expert." reasoned the other, mildly hitting his side with an elbow "Come on, tell me everything."

"Well, in that case..." he felt forced to _beg_ his stupid body not to blush at the contact. Tobio's long fingers then wrapped around a pair of soft black supporters, a white symbol embroidered, and a price tag dangling from it "...the Mizuno supporters, obviously. They are not only good for friction but also for thermal insulation." he began, knowing the advantages of the product almost by heart "Also, the three-dimensional pads that absorb hits make them fit easily and... what?" was suddenly asked. A dark eyebrow raised with an annoyance that was soon overshadowed by the wave of laughter that was provoked by his date's expression. Yamaguchi had been silent for a long time, just staring at him, that was why his little monologue had to be stopped. However, nothing could prepare him to see the brunette pursing his lips tightly to desperetaly hide a laugh.

"Nothing." he muttered, bringing a clenched fist to closed lips, trying to regain his composure.

"Are you thinking I'm a volleyball nerd?"

"Basically, yeah." he admitted, voice shaking with laughter. However, he took a step forward to remove the clearly-god-sent supporters from the other's hand "But I will totally buy them, you convinced me." he assured, voice bathed with a firm conviction. All the while gaving Kageyama a look that was torn between amused, defiant and, undoubtedly, affectionate. 

On one hand, the setter was grateful that they had managed to remove the tension that was preventing their usually more natural communication. But on the other hand, he was certainly not prepared to receive those kinds of looks. The ones that caused his heart rate to abruptly skip a beat, and his stomach to receive a strangely affectionate punch. Thanks to whatever divine deity was watching over the safety of his heart, Tadashi moved away to the counter to finalize the purchase and gave him a few seconds of peace to browse around the store at will. Once they met again, walking together towards the exit, the brunette seemed to remember something "By the way, I think I heard that speech before... aren't these the same supporters you gave Tanaka-san for Christmas?" he questioned, raising the bag that contained said product to emphasize the inquiry.

"It was a random Secret Santa… but yes." through clenched teeth, the answer was muttered, while remembering Tsukishima's snarky comment and Hinata's excitement for knowing where he had bought the item. It had been quite a chaotic Christmas, actually "You got a book from Azumane-san, right?"

"Yeah, that's right… I haven't got the chance to read it yet, to be honest. At the time, it seemed a little..."

"Boring?" the comment managed to draw a loud laugh from him, and Kageyama puffed out his chest with pride. By this point in their friendship, he was already beginning to recognize the type of humor the other reacted to; slightly malicious jokes that weren't necessarily aggressive were the most effective. Which wasn't surprising, considering who he had as a best friend.

"I was going to say overwhelming, but I guess we could use that too." he added later, to soften the setter's statement "Azumane-san seemed to like it very much, though."

The young athlete let out a short laugh and nodded in response, especially remembering how during Christmas, Daichi-san was forced to intervene so that the passionate reading that the ace player was performing would finally stop. The cool air played with the strands of black hair, blowing softly over their frozen faces, the tips of their noses starting to redden in immediate response to that stimulation. People passed by, lost in their own animated conversations. His trips to that commercial neighborhood were frequent, due to his fondness for sports and the importance given to take care of his body, his future work tool. He had seen those streets, those shop fronts, that same sky from that same angle a million times.

However, this time it was different. 

This time, walking next to Yamaguchi, noticing how he kept glancing at the bag that protected his purchase with interest, and the ghost of a smile on thin lips. Right there, in the winter cold and in his company, the city felt _alive_.

"Wanna get something to eat?" he proposed, feeling suddenly motivated and getting almost immediately a radiant look in response.

"Sure! Good thinking. What do you have in mind?"

"We could go to a fast food place and order some French fries." something like that would hardly be his first choice. Too used to look after his health with protein-rich meals and energy shakes. Kageyama wasn't a lover of junk food restaurants. Nevertheless, this was obviously a special occasion. And his promise to accommodate himself to the needs of his date still prevailed with vehement loyalty. As soon as the proposal escaped his mouth, the other's features seemed to contort from a comfortable and relaxed expression to a puzzling appearance. So much so that he stopped his pace completely, which took the setter by surprise. Mimicking the movements, and stopping awkwardly before being able to take a new step, Tobio examined him strangely.

"Wait. There's _no way_ you can know French fries is my favorite food."

No, he actually didn't know. He had just observed how much Tadashi seemed to enjoy that particular snack during the school hours they shared. Although there was something in that oh-so-perplex voice that made him feel ashamed. His lower lip moved up slightly, in an unconscious pout that he used to do when he was feeling uncomfortable, avoiding the other's gaze at all costs.

"You seem very happy when you get to have it for lunch." he simply expressed, adding a shrug of his tense shoulders, making superhuman efforts to sound casual.

"Ridiculously observant!" he snapped suddenly, pointing at the setter with an accusing index finger. Okay, if Tobio had tried very hard not to blush this far, the invasive heat spreading across the back of his neck was definitely a clue that he was losing the fight.

"Is it wrong?"

"… I guess not." Yamaguchi appealed with renewed softness. His arm, which had just denounced the peculiar weird behavior a few seconds ago fell uselessly against his side. Normally, it was fun to tease each other, lightly make fun of the other. But it was impossible to deny that Kageyama paying so much attention to his preferences and gestures still was... something he wasn't used to "Nothing involving French fries can be wrong." he added later, in a much lighter and friendly tone, silently assuring him that all was well. 

The direction of their steps on the frosty ground veered towards the nearest restaurant, where they both seemed to know the way accurately. Tadashi found himself stealing a couple of sidelong glances from his teammate, feeling the sudden urge to reciprocate. Just because the taciturn black-haired boy was so much better at appreciating small details, it didn't mean he wasn't curious about him as well. _Because he was_. After all, he had been the one scheduled the date so they could get to know each other more thoroughly. The setter was a kind of blank canvas in front of him, which no one but Tadashi could paint in dazzling colors. 

After a brief hesitation, he decided to start with a safe question

"So, Kageyama, tell me... Why do you like volleyball so much? How long have you been playing?"

The question seemed to throw him off balance for a fraction of a second as if it wasn't something he was asked very often. Such an overflowing talent certainly seemed to suggest a kind of innate ability and timeless interest in the sport. As if something so immense and extraordinary was not normally questioned.

The usual expression of concentration as he thought about an answer didn't take long to manifest, with a deep frown and cold hands buried inside warm pockets.

"As long as I remember, really." he eventually admitted, his mind seemed to have traveled far from their conversation, to a time impossible for Yamaguchi to envision. "My grandfather was a coach. He taught me and my sister everything he knew."

"That sounds great. Did you get to see games with him?" the brown eyes shone with a flash of genuine enthusiasm. Of course, Kageyama practiced since he was a child, it couldn't be otherwise. Of course, he had been introduced to the world of volleyball through his family at a young age, so his muscles were more than used to basic positions by now. Of course, his mind associated the sport with the feeling of home.

"Yeah, he always went to the gym with us. There were times when I couldn't touch the ball much because there was practice, but just being there was fun." he explained, outlining a small and lopsided smile that made a sudden flame settle inside Yamaguchi's chest, contrasting entirely with the wintry atmosphere around them. His voice appealed to a distant nostalgia, palpable in every word.

"You liked it so much since then, huh?" he asked, unable to resist the wide smile that practically devoured his face. "That explains a lot about you and the way you play."

"What do you mean?" Tobio inquired with a searching look.

"Well... I have practiced volleyball since I was in elementary school, but your level is just incomparable." Tadashi then began, hands gesturing to accompany the words "Even when you specialize in setting, you can easily cover the rest of the positions. You move with some kind of…very _professional_ accuracy. It's hard to explain." he continued, making the usual nervous gesture of covering the back of his neck with a free hand, accidentally messing with the brown hair. "You don't make one single extra movement than you should, and your accuracy is pretty scary...all that makes sense if a professional coach had been teaching you since you were a kid. A bit of an unfair advantage over us mortals, you know?" he added a joke at the end of his improvised monologue to try to provoke a reaction. However, when turning towards the other's direction, the triumphant and conceited expression he carried was enough to leave Yamaguchi speechless out of surprise. Obviously, he was quick to collect himself to him a gentle shove on the shoulder. "Stop it with that smile, Kageyama."

"You watch me, too." the cockiness in his voice was practically tangible. The broad shoulders were high with pride.

"Stop it!"

"You know is counterproductive to analyze only me, right? You should focus on the opponent's strategy in each match."

"I do!" he insisted, practically growling his answer. The skin on his face felt so boiling that it would have been unbearable if they weren't out in the open "You just have a… hard to ignore presence." he later admitted, in between clenched teeth.

"I had good teachers." the other conceded, in a false humility exaggerated for comic purposes.

"Didn't they teach you as a child that no one likes a show-off?" questioned sarcastically, to which they both let out a few laughs, completely dissolving any reminiscent tension that might have been floating in the atmosphere. Tadashi had just praised him for a _long_ time and had, somehow, gotten away with it without looking like a complete idiot. Kageyama's satisfied expression was enough to not feel ( _so_ ) sorry for his verbal diarrhea "So… you have a sister." he brought up out of nowhere, desperately seeking to change the subject "Does she still plays?"

Appearing unamused for the direction the conversation veered off, he simply shook his head.

"She dropped out when she started high school. She's a hairdresser now."

"Huh, I see. Is she much older than you?"

"A little." he replied with a new shrug "Why does that even matter?"

"Hey, I thought the whole purpose of this was to get to know each other better." he reminded the other with a joking but demanding tone "Besides, that kind of thing is interesting to me, being an only child."

"Lucky."

Yamaguchi let out a short nasal chuckle. It was a typical, classic response that he had heard on the lips of practically everyone with whom he had shared that particular detail of his childhood.

"I guess... but it can be pretty lonely when you grow up, you know?" brown eyes fixed on those circumspect and cerulean ones. How could it be that talking to him at times seemed as difficult as going in search of the Holy Grail, and at times like this, the conversation came as naturally as breathing? How could such opposite actions coexist? How could the same person provoke him such different reactions? "Except for family gatherings where I could spend time with my cousins sometimes."

"I guess I didn't consider that." it seemed that the perspective of someone who hadn't spent his entire childhood alongside another person hadn't even crossed his mind. Another person who, at times, could be intrusive and annoying but who undoubtedly represented a company in his day to day, in his home constantly full of noise. Would Yamaguchi's house be silent? "But you don't feel alone now, do you?"

Again, they looked at each other. The clumsiness and inexperience typical of adolescence were causing a conversation full of pauses to stare at each other, to analyze their glances to find reactions on which to build their expectations. They looked at each other warmly, and the grip he had on the stupid bag containing the stupid supporters he had bought to impress Kageyama on their stupid date only intensified. He inhaled a deep breath without noticing it, his brown eyes trying to mask how delighted he actually was in that company.

It was curious, and even a little ironic, how the idea of rejecting the solemn setter and hurting his feelings had once terrified him. In the multiple moments when he had drilled into his own mind with the same recurring, circular thoughts, he had come to the conclusion that the discomfort, the burning in his chest every time he thought about refusing his confession, was due to insecurities of his own. Due to his need to please others to feel loved. It had always been this way, after all. He had always wanted external approval to feel validated, after a childhood where he was frequently made fun of his appearance.

But there... in the middle of the city, walking by his side and not only observing the devotion in Tobio's eyes but also beginning to recognize it as his own, he understood something. He liked Kageyama. _He really liked Kageyama_. And that emptiness in his stomach that he felt with each meaningful phrase, with each gaze charged with sparkling sparks of concealed affection, with each accidental brush of skin, wasn't discomfort or fear... it was such a quiet, gradual attraction, that had built so slowly, so progressively, that totally missed his radar. By the time he finally realized how much raw attraction he felt towards his teammate, it was too late; he was already on a date that, technically, had no romantic purposes but... _come_ on, of course it did.

All this time it had had them. Right?

"No. I don't." he assured, hating but at the same time feeling proud of the way his voice cracked slightly.

The grains of salt from the French fries he held between long fingers turned out to be a curious taste to him, completely unaccustomed to such foods. They were warm, counteracting the icy air that accompanied them as they walked, their hands filled with two cartons of bright red and yellow. The initial idea was to stop for a meal at the fast-food place, but they both quickly agreed that the number of people gathered in the cramped establishment, the possibility of not getting any tables and being forced to eat standing up amid noisy conversations and obnoxious kids crying over not getting their favorite toy had totally ruined the plan.

Forced to adapt, they determined that the best option would probably be to continue the march to a park and rest there.

"You have been playing since elementary school, then? You always liked volleyball?” he asked absently, licking the extra salt from the back of one of his fingers. The dark-haired young man the liberty of starting the conversation this time, considering that Tadashi used to be the one who constantly searched for a topic to keep their spirits from failing.

The brunette gave him a side glance, with half a fry about to be consumed in between his teeth. He hurriedly swallowed before giving a soft nasal laugh and shaking his head.

"Not really. I just wanted to play some kind of sport." he explained, taking another bite as he spoke "The other kids liked to go on about how I was very skinny and weak. That I should 'train my body' and whatever. The other teams scared me, there were some huge guys. Volleyball seemed safer." he could still remember the scent of that small gym, with wooden floors where he slipped easily, with an older coach and colleagues much taller than him. It was a memory bathed in childhood nostalgia, and probably that was the only reason why it felt like something nice "I met Tsukki there, by the way, and we've been together ever since."

"The other kids used to say I was old-fashioned." he blurted out suddenly, almost as if he wanted to interrupt him. Despite the fact that they had only started to develop a closer relationship a few weeks ago, Tobio had been able to pick up on a pattern of behavior from the pinch server that was repeated from time to time; being jokes or anecdotes at his own expense.

They didn't seem to be light-hearted, laid-back jokes, where he accepted his own flaws and adapted them as part of his humor. No, he felt more... tense. As if the jokes were a kind of mask to hide something else. Everyone had insecurities, he himself kept coming back, from time to time, to that match at Kitagawa Daiichi just to promise himself that will never be so selfish again. However, Yamaguchi did not seem to be as direct and straightforward with his problems. Seeming more like someone who overthinks the same issue a lot, until finally getting it out of proportion. That is why he considered that perhaps an example of his own weaknesses would be useful for Tadashi.

"Huh?"

... although, it was possible that Kageyama's examples were still a bit confusing for the poor boy, who was looking at him with his head cocked, evidently waiting for more context.

"I liked to play outside, I didn't watch much TV or play video games. Kids say stupid shit all the time. Your body is fine." he expressed with determination in his voice, trying to settle the matter and, implicitly, make a very clear point: _You are fine. Everything that you are is fine. Stop measuring yourself by other people's standards._

And Yamaguchi seemed to understand. He seemed to perfectly read the cryptic message beneath that scowl and that heavy expression. And he smiled; barely, softly, directing his gaze forward because, at that moment, where feelings surfaced with ridiculous ease, it was preferable to not look directly at him just yet.

"Whatever you say, Kageyama." he graciously conceded.

"The really strange thing about that story" continued the other, raising a finger in emphasis "is that you stuck beside that beanstalk for so many years." he then joked around, accompanied the words with such a serious expression that took his date by surprise, making him release a loud cackle that made him lean forward out of inertia.

"He is a good company, believe it or not." finally assured, although Tobio was not willing to verify that theory.

Leaving behind the crowded streets and open businesses hoping to attract the attention of their next customers, they drifted away to more secluded and quiet places.

Their footsteps guided them into a green park. The tall manicured bushes covered in a thin white blanket, the birds chirping over their heads despite the cold weather. The few passersby present scattered far away in secluded seats. The atmosphere felt cozy and calm, the timid rays of sunlight filtering through dense clouds providing a soft, warm caress for their frozen faces and red noses. Their snack had already been consumed a few streets ago, so proceeding to discard the cardboard wrapper and wipe their oily fingers with a couple napkins they took from the establishment was the next logical step to take.

"Wanna sit around here?" asked the setter, pointing to a free bench that would probably be freezing, but it was a regret that he could bear to endure to stay a while longer with his date, to extend that meeting as long as he could. Receiving a faint "Sure" in response, they set out to share a spot in their new seat as the scenery in front of them provided excuses not to speak. 

They were near a dry fountain, with the plump image of an angel who, in his times of glory, had to expel streams of water from a vessel that he held in between thick fingers. The marble curls on his head were covered in frost, and some brave birds had overcome the harsh weather to join the angel and chirp to entertain him. It was strange.

It was strange how such a comfortable and casual environment had suddenly strained again to the point where their gazes were averted one more time. Shyness was a problem, not knowing each other in-depth enough to be able to naturally chat about anything was also a problem. And Tobio had promised himself to adapt, to analyze his date, and to anticipate his needs, to conform to him. The responsibility of getting a great and memorable day had been placed on his shoulders, and the feeling that he was failing was making his nerves twitch; stiff jaw and tense fists clenched over his lap. He had to say something, he had to save the situation, he had to hurry, or else...

"I'm sorry." Yamaguchi let out, giving him an embarrassed look before returning his eyes to the fountain. Apparently, it was easier to glance over there when it was time to open up "Sometimes it's hard to know what to talk to you about. And we have already exhausted the volleyball topic..."

 _Ah_. Right, he wasn't alone. That unbridled torrent of thoughts that urged him to save a situation that was not in crisis had made him forget what was important. 

As if he was a match where all the spikes were being blocked, he felt a selfish urge to sort it out on his own. But Yamaguchi must have some interest in this, right? Otherwise, why would he be there? Why would he have agreed to walk for hours by his side, to sit next to him on a narrow, frozen bench? Why would he have agreed to spend so much time together if he didn't share the same interest in keeping the date afloat?

He wasn't alone on the court and he wasn't alone there. He just had to trust in his abilities, remember what he knew.

"You listen to music, right?" he blurted out, to the surprise of the other.

"… yes?"

"I mean... you showed me songs I didn't know." he tried to elaborate on the explanation, relaxing his stiff fists and leaning back on the back of the seat. "And there are times when I'm a little late for lunch and you're wearing earphones. So… wanna show me a song or something?"

"Here?" the brunette asked, his gaze sweeping the space around him quickly. Probably considering that a public park didn't bring the same comfort as listening to music in their free hours from school. However, he soon seemed to reconsider the idea "Um... sure. Let me find something… ” he murmured, before removing a pair of black earphones from the front pocket of his pants. With one of the two ends between his fingers, he stretched out his arm as an offering to his date "Here."

"Are we sharing earphones?" _Wasn't that something couples usually did?_

In response, Yamaguchi shrugged, suddenly self-conscious.

"Yeah, it's not as weird as it sounds. Sometimes Tsukki forgets his headphones and we share these ones, it's really not a big de..."

"You do this with Tsukishima? Give me that!" he yelled suddenly, refusing to be less than that gigantic jerk. If that moron could share moments like this with Yamaguchi, he was definitely not going to lose. Roughly taking the device from his hand, he placed it on his ear, waiting for the song that would eventually come. The first rhythmic tapping against a cymbal was announced in only one of his ears, acting as a preamble to the main melody, which began with a high-pitched piano and violins accompanying it. It was immediately familiar to him, certainly a popular song at the time. He was sure he had heard it on the radio both at home and once more at Coach Ukai's shop.

Two men sang, at times taking turns, at times in unison, about a person who had abandoned them, leaving them with only half their soul. Between delicately strummed strings and tenderly pressed keys, they begged this lost love to return to their side, to feel whole again. They mentioned the silence that her absence had caused, and Tobio couldn't help but cast a sideways glance at his company, who seemed as attuned to the lyrics as he was. More often than not, there was silence between those two boys, sometimes more comforting and sometimes more tortuous and uncomfortable. 

Kageyama was grateful that, at least, they could share those awkward silences together instead of being helpless, wishing that a part of himself that he had lost would be returned to him. The song was undoubtedly romantic and melancholic. And it was hard not to wonder if that had been a deliberate decision or if he had simply chosen the first title that appeared on his cell phone screen.

"I already knew it. I like it." the setter admitted, trying not to ruin the atmosphere but, at the same time, to be heard. A pair of brown eyes observed him with a certain glimmer that he could not quite distinguish just yet. Before giving him a tight, nervous smile.

"I know, right? It's a pretty popular band, so…" the music playing directly in their ears created a kind of ethereal plane around the youngsters. A safe space where the world around them seemed to have disappeared, melting into a blur of colors that framed the only thing that really mattered; the person in front of them. They looked at each other, as they had done countless times since that happy little date began. They looked at each other with intensity, with sweetness, with a deep longing incapable of being contained for another second. In the middle of that confused haze where they both lived, with a voice singing in their heads about how apathetic, gray, and boring the world was without that other half by their side. Drowned under this dream plane, their open hands on the cold wood of the bench touched. First the tips of their fingers, then the back of both hands "…it's not weird that… you like it…" slowly turning their wrists, making each movement with great care, their palms expected to touch and their fingers to intertwine...

...but then the music stopped.

 _It stopped_. With such sudden abruptness that it simply left both foolish teenagers led by their noses by their hormones, slightly gaped. The magic was gone, the stupid winter-white world had returned, and the dazzling atmosphere they had found in the other, though not entirely gone, had been significantly diminished. With flushed cheeks and an irritated click of his tongue, Yamaguchi moved that hand that was oh-so-close to becoming one with the setter's, to angrily lead it towards his device, to check exactly what had happened.

"I'm sorry! Sorry... Ugh, it's a stupid notification from an emulator I downloaded." he explained, moving his index finger to try and slide it out of sight.

"What's an emulator?" the other asked, tilting his head while suddenly feeling one of his hands particularly cold.

"It's like a program that fulfills the function of a video game console." he replied simply, coming to the conclusion that he wasn't going to be able to get rid of the annoying notification unless he entered the program itself "I wanted to play Pokémon FireRed, so…"

"Do you like Pokémon?" it was so unexpected that the brunette could well have suffered a neck injury from how quickly he turned. Kageyama's voice was so full of hope that it was heartwarming. The normally fierce, serious blue eyes were wide in disbelief as he waited for an answer. For the love of God, they had found a common interest other than volleyball.

_A common interest that wasn't volleyball!_

Would there be more? How many? How many things could they have in common? And how many infinite conversations could they have about it? How many new interests were waiting to be discovered together? The anticipation and excitement showed in their body language.

"Y-yes. I always liked it." he assured, with a soft, fluid, and calm voice. In _this_ topic, he could feel absolutely confident "What about you?"

"I used to watch the anime as a kid!"

"But you said you didn't watch TV." he couldn't help the way his voice vibrated with suppressed laughter when he saw Kageyama so genuinely excited.

"I hardly ever did. But it's Pokémon, it was huge, everyone talked about it". the setter assured, frowning solemnly. The enormous influence of the pocket monsters was hard to ignore back in the day, even if it was only in the form of an occasional episode or two of the cartoon he had seen while having breakfast.

"I know! Did you have any cards?"

"Some. I actually shared them with my sister."

"I see. Did you have any favorites?"

It took him a moment to respond. Evidently, he hadn't given much thought to the yellow electric mouse franchise since many, many years ago. And his childhood preferences were hidden somewhere deep in his memory.

"I liked the fighting ones, they looked strong." he finally muttered, scratching his chin with two fingers absentmindedly, showing concentration "And the ghosts."

"Ah, the episodes where the three ghosts scared everyone." he recalled with a voice drenched with nostalgia.

"Yes!" a gentle laugh, which mingled harmonically in the air, sounded from both of them. Until that moment, they had gone through too wide a range of emotions; nervousness, fear, insecurity, affection, intimacy, comfort... now, however, the undeniable _happiness_ of being closer, even if it was only over a silly cartoon of more than a decade ago, was evident in their eyes. Suddenly, Yamaguchi interrupted the quiet moment, raising a pair of brown eyebrows as if he had only now remembered something.

"Hey, give me a second... actually, I think I'm not that far." he murmured, concentrating on the bright screen of his mobile and pressing the commands firmly.

"Far? From where?" the other replied, confused. Sitting shoulder to shoulder, Tobio leaned slightly to his side, slightly getting on his personal space to get a glimpse of what the device was concealing. A pixelated avatar of a boy with a giant red cap was speeding on his bike through a forest, dodging patches of tall grass but inevitably colliding with some of the wild Pokémon and going into battle "You have a Bulbasaur." he pointed out, staring at the screen, captivated.

"Actually, it's its evolution." he corrected with a friendly smile, fleeing the battle quickly to return to the way through a village "I also have a Growlithe, an Abra, and a Magikarp."

"Magika... the fish with the scary evolution? he asked with interest, remembering a good handful of episodes dedicated to making fun of the uselessness of the aquatic animal, its weak attacks, and constantly disoriented expression.

"Exactly! I'm waiting for it to evolve." with a couple more movements of his fingers, the character he controlled crossed the small town until reaching a high tower where ominous music played. And fog and pixels that tried to emulate tombs were seen. After a few moments advancing, he came across what he was looking for "Here, you hold it."

The phone was transferred to Tobio's hands, who remained silent for a few seconds, frowning at the image that was presented on the screen; A purple Pokémon, with a sinister expression and large ghostly hands, faced the avatar of Yamaguchi and his Ivysaur. It was a Haunter.

"I like this one." he proclaimed with bright eyes.

"I know." the smile on his face was possible to be heard in his words "Come on! Catch it!"

It took a few instructions from Tadashi; how it was convenient to switch from Ivysaur to Growlithe and use fire attacks, preferably burn the enemy, wait for the right moment before throwing the pokéball and, before that, decide exactly which type to use. The setter, adaptable, and always ready to learn and improve himself, listened carefully and, incorporated every vital piece of information. And they both held their breath when the ball shook with the wild Pokémon inside; one, two, three times...

_Haunter has joined the team!_

And, of course, they celebrated as if it were a point in their favor in the middle of a game, high-fives and yelling exclamations of triumph.

The sun's rays, timid and warm, making their way through the winter weather, were gradually displaced by late afternoon, pink and yellowish tones taking possession of the sky, leaving behind the barely perceptible blue at the end of the horizon. The harmonic chirping of the birds had stopped long ago while the cold was only increasing every moment. With the aftertaste of salt on their lips, icy fingers tucked deep into warm pockets, and slow, lazy steps, they stopped their march at a bus stop outside the center of town. The scenery wasn't too different from the route they took daily to return to school, surrounded by trees and green, albeit tempered by frost. The road looked lonely, a couple more stops with empty seats looming nearby. They seemed to be the only ones needing a bus at the time.

"You know? I was kinda nervous about this." Yamaguchi began, breaking the serenity of the scene. And Kageyama eyed him carefully, being cautious not to open his mouth yet. "But... I have to admit, it was a lot of fun."

Relieved, releasing a breath from his nose that he didn't know he was holding, the jet-haired young man smiled at him, nodding his head. Staring at the horizon, waiting for his means of transportation to manifest at any moment, he decided to ignore it for the moment and turn around completely, turning his back on the world and observing the person who had accompanied him for practically the whole day.

"Yeah, I think so too." words that weeks ago could be surprisingly embarrassing now flowed from his mouth with an ease that almost scared him "You didn't have to come with me all the way here, though. It's pretty late." he knew that Yamaguchi lived at a less considerable distance from their meeting point than he did, he knew that he could walk perfectly without the extra detour of accompanying him and waiting together for a bus that he did not need to take. Did he appreciate the offer? Of course. But the last thing he wanted was to be a nuisance to the person he liked, the one he wanted the most to impress and the least he wanted to disturb.

"I know, but… why not hang out a little more?" he proposed, raising one shoulder in dire need to sound casual. And Tobio felt that something inside him was exploding; When he got his message offering to go out almost a week ago, he tried his best to keep expectations low and realistic. 

Yamaguchi was agreeing to go out because he was nice. Because he wanted to try to know him better and satisfy him with his presence for a few hours. It was nothing romantic, it was nothing special. Right?

And now, there he was, listening first-hand as to how the pinch server tried to extend their meeting for a few more minutes, Kageyama was barely beginning to understand that maybe these feelings weren't as one-sided as he thought "Hey, Kageyama. Can I try something?"

"What?" he inquired, being tossed so roughly out of his thoughts that he couldn't help but frown deeply. It took a few moments before the other started speaking again, taking brave little aspirations moments before regretting it, as if searching for the right words. The brown eyes traveled from the setter's strong gaze to his own hands, to his long, calloused fingers from serving practice. And there, he seemed to find the courage to continue.

"I… you know how… in the park… we almost…"

_Wealmostheldhands. Yes, I know. Do you think I've been able to think about anything else since it happened?_

Tobio's normally stoic and serene expression was beginning to crumble behind the huge, unstable tower of hopes that he had been piling up for the past few hours. The past weeks. The past months. Behind the desires he had been harboring even before recognizing to himself how hopeless he was from his first crush. That facade, breaking under the dead weight of a million feelings, was evident in the way his broad shoulders tensed and his fingers closed over the inner fabric of his pocket, how his brow furrowed even more, how his mouth it opened only to close again. How the only answer he was able to produce was a simple nod of the head.

"Y-yeah." Kageyama Tobio. The King whose only existing fears in the world were Oikawa Tooru and loneliness on the court, had just stuttered.

"Can we try it again?" this time, their gazes met again, through freckles hidden behind thick blushes and ears blazing in embarrassment from the setter. At least for this, he didn't need to waste time with useless words. Acting purely on instinct, following his immediate hunch, he withdrew his right hand (now warm from having spent so much time in his pocket) from his jacket and extended it towards Yamaguchi without regard. No need to doubt or try to understand the other. They were both on the same page, finally.

And the brunette's slender fingers collided into his space, entwining with his own so naturally and comfortably that it almost felt like he was trapped inside his stupid dream from weeks ago. He was almost dreading waking up at any moment and being forced to text Hinata to inform him that it happened again, that he dreamed about him again.

But Kageyama felt a thumb caress the back of his hand, which immediately awakened violent throbbing inside his eardrums and a current of electricity from his wrist to his head. "Okay, I really feel like I have to kiss you right now." Yamaguchi blurted out suddenly. And so Tobio's fingers released the other from their grasp and spread, flabby and useless, moved by surprise.

He wanted to speak, he wanted to say something, he desperately wanted to give his approval, but _good God_ , how many emotional punches must he take to the stomach before he could let his guard down? 

Every time he thought he had taken a step forward in their relationship and could begin to relax, some event of this kind only seemed to make him move at extreme speed as if his feet were tied to rockets. And it didn't bother him, on the contrary, having rockets for feet sounded great, but...it was too much of a stimulation, over and over.

And the same case seemed to be for Tadashi, who quickly released his hand to proceed to his nervous habits of shaking both arms in front of his face, frantically apologizing "I-I'm sorry! That came out of nowhere, sorry. I'm really sorry, I... I guess I got carried away, your hand is so warm and... we are alone and I..." he ruffled his hair abruptly, his voice revealing how much he hated himself and his impulses in those moments.

"Yamaguchi."

"Yes?"

"You are missing the point." Tobio's imperturbable tone would never give it away, but on the inside, that phrase was a _plea_.

"Right. I..." slowly, cautiously, his feet took him a couple of steps forward, staying at such a short and limited distance that their noses lightly brushed. The warm breath of the other, in the midst of so much cold, collapsed against his lips. And their hands, with patience and gentleness, met again, adapting to the way they intertwined immediately as if they had been waiting to do that their entire life. "Can we... kiss, then?"

With his heartbeat ringing wildly inside his ears, his head feeling light, and his hands warm in the other's contact, he nodded.

Once again, he wanted to speak; he wanted to say something cunning, something gallant, something funny like ‘ _You kidding? I've wanted to kiss you for weeks.'_

Anything that didn't make him look like a scared kid who had forgotten how to use his words.

Although maybe, it was time to face reality and stop constantly trying to impress him. Maybe Tobio was scared. And maybe that was okay.

Yamaguchi's fingers quickly left his, slowly moving up to his shoulders, making a brief and light caress, barely touching him with the tips of his fingers. That feather touch, as if testing the waters, crept up his neck, forcing him to suppress a shudder. With one of his large hands, he cradled the side of his face and stayed that way for a few seconds, getting used to it. He had imagined his first kiss a few times, just as he had with his first confession; in his fantasies, he explored with his fingers the skin of a beautiful girl, her rosy cheeks, her parted lips, her silky hair, he tried to get acquainted with her and calm his unbridled heart before kissing her.

Once again, Kageyama was not like that. His skin was not smooth, his square jaw felt firm under the palm of his hand, his lips were thin, and his black hair fell like a curtain, close to covering those mesmerizing cerulean eyes with some particularly long locks. By pure instinct, he moved a pair of jet-colored strands with the back of his finger, then proceeded, hypnotized, dazzled, to cover his mouth with his own. It was a brief, ridiculously quick contact as if touching had caused an electric current that had repelled them.

It was strange. Men's lips were not as he had imagined, the masculine perfume that inebriated him in the closeness intoxicated him to a point where it was difficult to think. Too many sensations together, too much stimulation. Kageyama's hands closed over his forearms, guiding the contact to rest on the setter's cheeks. And there, feeling contained and directed through so much uncertainty, Tadashi tried again. And this time it was long, deep, _different_. Their mouths moved in a rhythm that, at times, became harmonious and wonderful and, at others, felt like a complete disaster, improvising and trying to adapt to the tastes of the other. Tobio held him firmly in place and Yamaguchi's thumbs unconsciously caressed the rough skin of his cheeks.

An invasive heat began to rise through their bodies, as they kissed and kissed, over and over again, tilting their heads to one side or the other to find more comfort, getting used to teeth and tongues; improvising, testing, discovering together.

Volleyball, Pokémon and kissing sessions... the common interests increased more and more.

"Wow... what the hell was that?" Tadashi asked in a thin voice, barely after their mouths parted in the inevitable need for air. Kageyama's hands followed suit, taking place on the other's shoulders before climbing up, accommodating his palm on the nape of lush brown hair.

"I'm not sure." he admitted, blinking a few times, feeling slightly dizzy. That's how it must feel to win the Nationals semifinals after a five-set match, where time begins to blur until it becomes a sticky puddle on the ground and your legs stop responding, but you don't want it to ever end.

"Let's do it again." he urged him, hurrying to hug the other's shoulders while feeling the back of his head being pulled forward by a powerful force.

"Yes." Once again, they were pulled towards each other as if they were the opposite poles of a magnet. This second meeting was marked by an overwhelming need, by a desire impossible to reconcile, now that they had experienced it first hand.

Their arms, pressing the other closer and closer, their chests that brushed against unbridled hearts, their shoulders tense with emotion, their hips, all their earthly existence begged for more closeness, more time, more caresses, more contact. _More, more, more_... but the parting was inexorable.

The passage of time had become anonymous and blurry, although Kageyama felt vehemently that no temporary measure could be enough to satisfy him when it came to kissing Yamaguchi. Kiss his salt-flavored lips, hold his well-built body in his arms, feel his breath swirl against his face. How could he have lived so many years without feeling that?

The parting was inexorable. And Tadashi looked at him with eyes so devoted and wondering, with a smile so wide and dumb that he couldn't help but succumb, give up completely. He dropped his head heavily against the other's shoulder, wrapping his arms around his torso in an impossibly tight hug. "I like you, _so much_." he admitted, sounding almost frustrated.

"Is that so?" he teased him amiably, voice vibrating with laughter.

"Lately I like everything you do. It's annoying, even." he muttered against the thick fabric of his winter coat, still trying to recover from the most recent emotional punch.

"Wow, thank you..." he replied with evident sarcasm, absently stroking the shiny black hair with one hand. "You are one to talk, though. Seducing me with your Pokémon knowledge."

That comment seemed to be enough to attract the attention of the setter, who bravely returned from his hiding place to observe him with a stunned expression, the tips of his ears beginning to turn a violent share of red.

"... was I doing that?" he asked in a small voice.

"It's just an expression, Kageyama, geez!" the other yelled, mortally embarrassed. He jerked away from his grasp, crossing his arms firmly against his chest, wishing the snow would begin to fall with more intensity until it swallowed him into a beautiful white mound. Maybe that way he would stop blushing and saying stupid things in front of the person he liked.

To his surprise, Tobio laughed, in an expression so relaxed and sincere that it was extremely contagious. Seeing him laugh was a phenomenon that was happening more and more often in his presence over the past few weeks, and Tadashi could never complain about it. Eventually, they got closer again, caressed again, kissed again, lost in their own world of melancholic songs with violins and pianos, of warm fries on freezing afternoons, of premium supporters and pocket monsters. Lost in a universe so entirely of their own that no one could ever take it away.

...except for the stupid bus. They both cursed under their breath when they heard the unmistakable sound of the engine approaching in the distance on the frozen sidewalk.

Kageyama entered the transport with a quick goodbye, greeting him with a brief wave of the hand that his partner returned immediately. Through the foggy windows of the moving vehicle, he could still see him as he started to walk home. And Yamaguchi held out his tongue in a mocking and amused gesture. Once the young man was out of sight, he couldn't help but utter an exclamation full of glee and satisfaction that drew a few glances from the rest of the people on the bus. He couldn't care less.

He was ecstatic, blissful, amazed. And it had all been thanks to a dream, a rainy night after practice and, strawberry milk.

"Why are you sending Arcanine to fight Dewgong? It's a water type."

The last rays of sunlight present before the imminent sunset, warm and comforting, filtered through the open window of Tadashi's room, illuminating a pair of extremely concentrated features. Kageyama was lying on the bed, his head resting against a thick, fluffy pillow. Lazily wrapped in his arms, Yamaguchi lay on top of him, holding his cell phone close to his face as he instructed his Pokémon to use 'Fire Fang' just to subtract a third of the rival's health, then clicked his tongue in some annoyance.

"It's also an ice type. And my team has more experience, it will be fine."

"If you say so..." muttered the other with a hint of mistrust in his voice. Tobio's breathing was soft and relaxed, his chin resting comfortably on his partner's shoulder, watching him play with analytical eyes. The heat had returned to the Japanese climate, the Nationals had finished, the exams had calmed down and, since that date where they had wandered around the city, they had done nothing but to get closer and closer.

The extra tutoring and practices had decreased in frequency since they didn't need excuses to see each other anymore. They could have lunch together without any pretext other than simply wanting to spend time in each other's company.

Hinata had celebrated the novelty of the flaming new couple with jumps and screams. Tsukishima had chuckled before making a mean joke about Tadashi's bad taste. It was more than evident that the blocker had foreseen this romantic outcome long ago.

The rest of the team was a bit surprised, but noticing that their dynamics and performance in matches hadn't changed at all, it didn't seem like something to worry about.

A few months had passed, and now they were basking in one of their recently found common interests.

"I don't wanna hear it from a _normie_ who didn't remember the correlation of Pokémon types until a few months ago."

" _Nerd._ "

"Huh. Who could have thought? It sounds good when you say it." the brunette admitted, raising his smiling face to meet his gaze, and the blue eyes responded to the request immediately. Tobio leaned in slightly to steal a quick kiss. Those kinds of touches were no longer something new that set off fireworks in his chest or made his stomach feel like it had just swallowed a bag full of rocks. No, now it was something daily, something natural and spontaneous that he could do whenever he wanted. And that freedom, that comfort, was one of the many sensations that he had never imagined wishing he had before he became more attached to Yamaguchi. It was surprising to realize how narrow his spectrum of feelings used to be before he plucked up the courage to confess long ago.

"You done with the first leader?" he inquired, resuming his privileged place on the other's shoulder.

"Yeah, just let me heal my team..." he murmured, performing the action with simplicity in a couple of movements of his fingers over the commands "The first leaders are usually the easiest. Getting to Lance will be the hard part."

"The dragon type guy?"

"Yup."

"You can do it, Yamaguchi." he assured with conviction, lightly squeezing the tight hug he made against his torso. In response, he received only a short laugh, a few moments of silence, and a new question.

"You know? We've been dating for a while now… Wouldn't you like to start calling me by my first name?" he asked cautiously, using the most artificially casual tone of voice he was capable of.

The setter's shoulders suddenly tensed, saying farewell to the theory that their new shared closeness would offer a well-deserved rest to his heart and emotional exhaustion. It was becoming more and more evident that, by being with Yamaguchi, he would never be able to relax.

"It would feel weird, wouldn't it?" he finally answered, his voice reflecting a distinct discomfort. Would it be too daring to call him by his name? How long should it take before it's fine to do so? Maybe he should ask Iwaizumi-san later...

"Right, because spending all our time off the court together and making out all the time doesn't feel weird, huh?" said the other, with the mocking tone he had inherited from his best friend. Although he had to admit it was funny enough to make Tobio draw a small smile before making an irritated expression. Being a competitive athlete eager to win at all times, his need to contend was not going to end there; as much as he had strong and sincere feelings towards Yamaguchi, he was not going to let him win by teasing him and making him blush. Two could play that game.

In a fit of rivalry, he turned his face to position his lips against the ear of the unsuspecting boy, who was concentrating on leveling up and advancing in the virtual competition. And, using the most guttural, whispery, and captivating tone of voice he was able to produce, he murmured his first name directly against his ear.

"Tadashi."

The called young man, effectively taken by surprise, was jolted on his place before he felt a powerful electric current run along his spine, feeling the hair of his arms standing up. Once he regained his composure, he gave his boyfriend a reproachful look, narrowing his eyes with the silent promise that sometime in the future, as soon as he least expected it, it would be his turn to feel ashamed too.

"You're right, it's too weird." he conceded then, returning his gaze to the screen as he perfectly heard a smug giggle against his shoulder. A few minutes later, in a brief pause in between Elite Four leaders, where he could take his time to save the game or heal his Pokémon, Tadashi chose the option of raising his arms towards the direction of his partner "Do you want to play?"

"Nah, I'm fine. I like to watch you play." he muttered, his voice muffled as he spoke against the fabric of Yamaguchi's shirt.

"You mean, you like dozing off while I play." the other annoyed him, with a wide smile.

"So mean to me." he replied in a low voice, the drowsiness heavy in both his voice and his eyelids. At the same time, he took a more comfortable place on his neck, inhaling the scent of his cologne; it smelled like wood or lavender, or maybe both "So mean. And I love you, Yamaguchi." he whispered, the tip of his nose caressing the other's skin, finding comfort in the warmth of his closeness.

"I already knew that." he pointed out, his voice showing weaker than he intended, evidently mobilized by the words. "But you've never told me that before."

In the middle of his doze, the grip of his arms weakening and his face falling under his own inertia against the other's shoulder, he found himself able to find some strength to shrug slightly.

"So? I'm telling you now."

"Right, right." he murmured, taking advantage of a brief interruption in the battle of his game to raise a hand and caress the straight strands of black hair, playing with them between his fingertips "By the way, you want me to have Oikawa's number on hand? In case you dream of me now?" they couldn't help it, teasing each other was almost as irresistible and endearing as expressing affection without regard. His words were obviously shaken by suppressed laughter, and Tobio's fierce eyes snapped open as if he were a dangerous predator about to go hunting.

"Okay, that's enough." he pronounced, before catching his head with one of his sturdy arms, holding it in place to proceed to rub his knuckles on the crown of the other's head, completely tousling the unruly strands of brown hair. In response, both screams and laughter and pleas escaped from Yamaguchi's throat, as his hands closed against the other's arms, trying to break free from the metaphorical chains.

"No, Kageyama! No!" he exclaimed, laughing, while his phone slid uselessly towards his lap "My League! My victory!"

"Forget about the league!" he replied ruthlessly, without exerting brutal force on his grip, just enough to annoy him. Tadashi's long fingers tried to break through that prison, pulling him over and over.

"Kageyama! Have mercy! How the hell are you so strong...?"

"Because I train my body. Unlike _someone_ who only stares at me all throughout practice..."

"Okay, okay!" he interrupted between cries of mercy, he did not need to feel ashamed of the amount of time he used to observe his boyfriend in those moments, thank you very much "I give up, I give up!" then, his desperation for winning the physical contest led his frantic hands to descend down the other's torso, where the slight, minimal brush of his fingers caused Tobio's body to contract uncomfortably, stopping the grip immediately.

For a moment, Yamaguchi remained still, kneeling on his bed unmade by the struggles, sheets touching the floor in a deplorable state. He blinked. "No way." he pronounced, with a malicious smile "The great Kageyama Tobio is ticklish. No way!"

"Of course I'm not." he was quick to contradict him, although the way he backed up to press his back completely against the wall didn't help to back up his words.

"I just saw you! Get over here!" he insisted, throwing himself at him without any compassion. Nevertheless, Tobio was fast. Enough so that his first instinct was to clench his fists on the other's wrists, trying to immobilize him.

Although it seemed that the competitiveness and the desire to win were not entirely his, due to the strength and determination that Yamaguchi was using to try to catch him anyway, the words and grunts mixed with the laughter that both let out.

"No, get off! Yamaguchi! No!" he insisted, before making a risky move, using much of his strength to completely reverse their positions. Previously, finding himself trapped between his partner and the wall, now he had taken control of the situation to make him fall against the mattress and position himself over him.

It was funny to remember now, with his heartbeat pounding against his chest and his heavy breathing, how he had reflected a few minutes ago on how relaxed and comfortable he felt by his side after months of getting to know each other better. Yamaguchi appeared to be on equal footing, with heavy inhalations and excruciatingly red cheeks. Tobio gave him a smug smile. “You look great like this."

"Okay, get off…" declared the other, silently accepting his defeat, raising his upper body to sit up. Until a moment ago, the relaxed and pleasant atmosphere was now in a chaotic point; both were sitting cross-legged on the mattress, sheets, and blankets torn at the sides. Both youths' chests rose and fell rapidly, panting, and tired. And yet they were smiling; blissful and carefree. The unpredictability of their interactions just adding one more layer of enjoyment to their relationship "Hey, Kageyama."

"Hm?" he murmured lightly, settling the crumpled pillow in its former place against the wall, yearning to get comfortable again.

"You know I love you too, right?"

Just as both could be unpredictable and untamed. They were also, in essence, surprisingly simple.

After their initial misunderstandings due to lack of communication, they could now be sure that understanding each other was easy, intuiting what the other was feeling or thinking was a simple task, and balancing back to that previous state of calm and harmony was something surprisingly effortless to do. Especially for Yamaguchi. He was the expert at making his boyfriend feel comfortable.

Tobio invited him to come closer by patting the empty spot next to him and, once they were back in their places next to each other, they serenely joined in a slow, relaxed, warm kiss, absent-minded fingers stroking firm forearms and soft sighs that escaped through their noses.

"Of course I know." he whispered against his mouth, stealing one last contact from it, before proceeding to return to the place he had at the beginning, resting under Yamaguchi and hugging him lazily. "Since you woke me up completely, you better win against the dragon guy."

In response, he received a slight chuckle as his partner leaned against him, making himself comfortable in his privileged place on the other's chest and, once more, holding his cell phone between long, trained fingers.

"Just watch me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Yamaguchi and Kageyama listen to together is called SMAP's Boku no hanbun (it is the most listened song in Japan back in 2012, the year in which it takes place the first year of the babies in Karasuno)
> 
> I'm a die-hard Pokémon fan and I just HAD to make them bond by catching Pokes and teaming up together. It's good for my soul.
> 
> Thanks for reading this 5-chapter mess with long-ass paragraphs and cringy dialogue. Thanks for commenting and leaving kudos, I hope you liked it <3


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